Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Sete Lagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Sete Lagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $948 in Rio de Janeiro versus $623 in Sete Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Rio de Janeiro versus $984 in Sete Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,344 in Sete Lagoas.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 52% more expensive than Sete Lagoas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Sete Lagoas 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$34.96

$6.34 R$31.51

10.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 R$176

$20.74 R$103

70.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$30.78

$4.96 R$24.66

24.80%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.92

$0.52 R$2.56

284.62%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.41

$0.89 R$4.41

44.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.46

$0.56 R$2.78

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.75

$1.39 R$6.89

26.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.09

$1.67 R$8.29

57.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.62

$0.85 R$4.24

32.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 R$8.40

$0.60 R$3.00

181.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.04

$1.61 R$8.00

-11.80%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.55

$1.55 R$7.68

23.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.73

$5.49 R$27.30

41.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.05

$2.71 R$13.47

33.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 R$39.72

$7.32 R$36.37

9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.60

$0.92 R$4.56

153.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$1.06 R$5.25

50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.25

$0.52 R$2.59

180.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.80

$0.92 R$4.55

70.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.19

$1.03 R$5.11

21.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.76

$0.53 R$2.62

118.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.44

$0.47 R$2.31

46.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.07

$0.48 R$2.36

29.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.77

$2.20 R$10.95

-10.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 R$39.28

$7.86 R$39.05

0.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.33

$0.56 R$2.80

126.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$0.87 R$4.35

143.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 R$6.38

$0.86 R$4.27

48.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 R$191

$38.67 R$192

-0.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.54

$0.37 R$1.84

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$0.27 R$1.36

162.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 R$38.70

$7.97 R$39.62

-2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.29

$0.89 R$4.42

19.10%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.9K R$104.0K

$12.7K R$63.2K

64.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.9K R$138.6K

$21.2K R$105.4K

31.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$103 R$513

$44.90 R$223

130.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.22 R$60.7

$14.30 R$71.1

-14.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 R$93.5

$17.79 R$88.4

5.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.63 R$127

$22.25 R$111

15.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 R$120

$21.46 R$107

12.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$31.72

$3.71 R$18.43

71.97%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$551 R$2,738

$108 R$535

412.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$58.1K

$6,767 R$33.6K

72.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 R$228

$8.80 R$43.71

421.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.16 R$205

$9.24 R$45.92

345.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$380

$36.44 R$181

109.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$302

$35.37 R$176

71.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,154

$311 R$1,547

39.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,669

$220 R$1,095

52.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 R$4,237

$588 R$2,924

44.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,926

$427 R$2,121

37.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 R$14.5K

$1,693 R$8,414

72.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 R$6,668

$1,174 R$5,836

14.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 R$2,708

$444 R$2,208

22.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.83

4.62%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 21, 2026

Last update for Sete Lagoas: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Rio de Janeiro and $311 in Sete Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35 in Rio de Janeiro vs $21 in Sete Lagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $129 per month, with Sete Lagoas cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Rio de Janeiro vs Sete Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Sete Lagoas differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($948 vs $623 including rent). Sete Lagoas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Rio de Janeiro versus $311 in Sete Lagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sete Lagoas – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $948 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $623 in Sete Lagoas – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sete Lagoas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Sete Lagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.