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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro versus $831 in Três Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,799 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,440 in Três Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,360 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,049 in Três Lagoas.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 49% more expensive than in Três Lagoas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 10% lower, Três Lagoas 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R$47.10

$5.87 R$30.26

55.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.73 R$200

$31.66 R$163

22.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 R$41.47

$7.34 R$37.80

9.67%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.52

$1.91 R$9.83

17.28%

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

$1.58 R$8.16

$1.31 R$6.75

20.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.27

$0.79 R$4.05

29.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 R$12.06

$1.93 R$9.93

21.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 R$16.70

$2.91 R$15.01

11.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.64

$1.44 R$7.41

-24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 R$10.18

$2.11 R$10.89

-6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$7.02

$2.20 R$11.35

-38.18%

Eggs

$2.28 R$11.75

$3.57 R$18.39

-36.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 R$55.8

$5.80 R$29.87

86.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 R$21.61

$5.42 R$27.93

-22.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 R$49.58

$6.30 R$32.43

52.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.53

$1.62 R$8.35

62.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.91

$1.39 R$7.17

24.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R$7.90

$1.45 R$7.47

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.46

$2.29 R$11.81

-19.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.35

$1.72 R$8.86

-28.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.17

$1.10 R$5.65

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.81

$0.80 R$4.10

-7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.14

$0.60 R$3.12

1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.12

$1.93 R$9.93

51.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 R$46.38

$7.83 R$40.32

14.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.12

$1.01 R$5.20

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 R$12.00

$2.06 R$10.62

13.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.78

$1.06 R$5.45

-12.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.48 R$255

$43.23 R$223

14.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.12

$1.22 R$6.30

-2.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.31

$0.81 R$4.15

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 R$46.51

$7.89 R$40.63

14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.21 R$6.25

5.79%

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

$23.0K R$118.3K

$22.9K R$117.8K

0.48%

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

$32.1K R$165.4K

$32.2K R$166.1K

-0.41%

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

$136 R$699

$73.1 R$376

85.83%

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

$12.02 R$61.9

$12.06 R$62.1

-0.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 R$113

$20.73 R$107

5.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 R$155

$25.63 R$132

17.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 R$152

$27.23 R$140

8.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 R$40.89

$6.93 R$35.72

14.57%

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

$551 R$2,837

$289 R$1,491

90.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.6K

$6,777 R$34.9K

96.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.13 R$207

$53.1 R$273

-24.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 R$241

$49.60 R$256

-5.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 R$371

$91.4 R$471

-21.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 R$342

$69.9 R$360

-5.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R$4,289

$382 R$1,970

117.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,481

$198 R$1,021

143.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 R$6,586

$843 R$4,342

51.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 R$3,616

$644 R$3,317

9.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 R$20.2K

$1,621 R$8,351

142.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 R$7,608

$1,120 R$5,768

31.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,311

$174 R$898

268.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

11.06

7.87%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 12, 2026

Last update for Três Lagoas: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $833 in Rio de Janeiro and $382 in Três Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 269% 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: $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $32.00 in Três Lagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $198 per month, with Três 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 Três Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Três Lagoas differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,237 vs $831 including rent). Três Lagoas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 269% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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: $833 in Rio de Janeiro versus $382 in Três Lagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Três Lagoas – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $831 in Três Lagoas – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $831 in Três Lagoas versus $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Três Lagoas but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Três Lagoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Três Lagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.