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: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $752 in Três Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,337 in Três Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,922 in Três Lagoas.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 27% 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

$7.03 R$35.08

$5.46 R$27.26

28.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 R$179

$27.43 R$137

30.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.16

$6.44 R$32.12

-3.11%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$9.93

$1.77 R$8.85

12.43%

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

$1.34 R$6.67

$1.08 R$5.39

24.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.19

$0.62 R$3.09

35.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.88

$1.76 R$8.77

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.31

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.56

$1.34 R$6.68

-17.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.84

$1.97 R$9.83

-10.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.42

$1.94 R$9.69

-23.20%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.62

$3.28 R$16.35

-41.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 R$40.47

$5.27 R$26.30

53.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$17.71

$4.96 R$24.75

-28.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 R$41.17

$5.90 R$29.44

39.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.58

$1.52 R$7.58

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.13

$1.24 R$6.17

31.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.19

$1.32 R$6.57

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.73

$2.05 R$10.22

-24.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.15

$1.58 R$7.89

-22.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.76

$1.09 R$5.45

5.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.45

$0.70 R$3.47

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.87

$0.52 R$2.62

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$9.93

$1.84 R$9.21

8.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.18

$7.85 R$39.15

2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.26

$0.86 R$4.30

45.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.14

$2.05 R$10.21

-0.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.13

$0.92 R$4.57

33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.49 R$197

$38.82 R$194

1.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.11 R$5.52

-3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.46

$0.75 R$3.73

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 R$37.60

$6.39 R$31.86

17.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.50

$1.09 R$5.44

0.92%

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

$20.2K R$100.6K

$20.5K R$102.4K

-1.76%

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

$27.2K R$135.7K

$28.0K R$139.6K

-2.78%

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

$104 R$519

$60.7 R$303

71.58%

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

$11.99 R$59.8

$13.72 R$68.5

-12.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 R$92.2

$18.78 R$93.7

-1.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.17 R$131

$22.75 R$114

15.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.31 R$121

$21.91 R$109

10.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$32.07

$6.32 R$31.56

1.74%

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

$553 R$2,761

$266 R$1,329

107.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K R$57.3K

$6,437 R$32.1K

78.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 R$222

$49.51 R$247

-10.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$209

$42.39 R$212

-0.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$382

$75.5 R$377

1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 R$305

$64.1 R$320

-4.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,143

$365 R$1,822

17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,618

$181 R$901

79.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 R$4,165

$793 R$3,956

5.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,894

$604 R$3,014

-4.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,964 R$14.8K

$1,629 R$8,130

81.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 R$6,650

$1,212 R$6,047

9.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 R$2,671

$177 R$886

201.58%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Três Lagoas: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Rio de Janeiro and $365 in Três Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 202% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $183 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 27% in total monthly costs ($953 vs $752 including rent). Três Lagoas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 202% 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: $429 in Rio de Janeiro versus $365 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 $953 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $752 in Três Lagoas – a 27% 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 27% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.