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: $952 in Rio de Janeiro versus $753 in Três Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,313 in Três Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,874 in Três Lagoas.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 26% more expensive than Três Lagoas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Três Lagoas 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.12

$5.45 R$27.57

34.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 R$184

$27.09 R$137

34.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 R$31.74

$6.35 R$32.14

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.00

$1.78 R$9.00

11.24%

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

$1.27 R$6.42

$1.08 R$5.46

17.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.27

$0.61 R$3.09

37.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.98

$1.81 R$9.19

-2.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$14.04

$2.68 R$13.57

3.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.60

$1.33 R$6.74

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.65

$1.99 R$10.06

-14.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.48

$1.97 R$9.95

-24.87%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$3.26 R$16.52

-38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 R$39.35

$5.53 R$28.00

40.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.35

$4.93 R$24.97

-26.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 R$40.88

$6.07 R$30.72

32.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.67

$1.57 R$7.93

47.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.97

$1.29 R$6.51

21.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.39

$1.38 R$6.99

5.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.67

$2.10 R$10.61

-27.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.38

$1.64 R$8.32

-23.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.87

$1.06 R$5.38

9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$0.75 R$3.82

-14.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.88

$0.55 R$2.81

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$1.79 R$9.04

8.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.22

$7.90 R$40.00

8.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.16

$0.87 R$4.38

40.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.40

$2.06 R$10.44

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 R$6.31

$0.88 R$4.46

42.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.19 R$198

$37.95 R$192

3.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.67

$1.11 R$5.60

0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.37

$0.74 R$3.76

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 R$37.61

$6.59 R$33.36

12.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.66

$1.05 R$5.29

6.67%

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

$20.5K R$103.6K

$20.3K R$103.0K

0.58%

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

$27.1K R$137.0K

$28.0K R$141.9K

-3.50%

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

$103 R$519

$59.6 R$302

72.05%

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

$12.09 R$61.2

$13.39 R$67.8

-9.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 R$97.1

$18.82 R$95.3

1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.29 R$133

$22.88 R$116

14.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 R$120

$21.84 R$111

8.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 R$32.71

$6.23 R$31.54

3.69%

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

$537 R$2,716

$275 R$1,395

94.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.1K

$6,430 R$32.6K

81.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 R$229

$49.33 R$250

-8.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 R$208

$42.31 R$214

-3.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 R$383

$74.7 R$378

1.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 R$303

$64.9 R$328

-7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,225

$367 R$1,860

19.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R$1,645

$178 R$903

82.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 R$4,341

$802 R$4,061

6.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,917

$594 R$3,009

-3.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,415 R$17.3K

$1,564 R$7,919

118.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,437

$1,146 R$5,802

28.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 R$2,714

$170 R$861

215.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.92

3.75%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 7, 2026

Last update for Três Lagoas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Rio de Janeiro and $367 in Três Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 215% 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: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Três Lagoas. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $186, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper for home cooking.

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 26% in total monthly costs ($952 vs $753 including rent). Três Lagoas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 215% 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: $440 in Rio de Janeiro versus $367 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 $27.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $952 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $753 in Três Lagoas – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Três 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 Três Lagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.