Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Uberaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Uberaba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $980 in Rio de Janeiro versus $752 in Uberaba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,489 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,205 in Uberaba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,659 in Uberaba.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 30% more expensive than in Uberaba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 26% lower, Uberaba 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 R$36.14

$3.56 R$18.39

96.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.60 R$189

$31.98 R$165

14.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 R$33.43

$5.80 R$29.94

11.72%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$10.26

$1.73 R$8.93

15.03%

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

$1.28 R$6.60

$0.94 R$4.83

36.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.64

$0.67 R$3.46

34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.10

$1.85 R$9.55

-4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.71

$2.64 R$13.65

0.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.96

$0.83 R$4.29

39.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.77

$0.80 R$4.12

112.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.29

$1.05 R$5.44

34.29%

Eggs

$1.97 R$10.16

$1.59 R$8.23

23.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 R$40.48

$7.23 R$37.33

8.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 R$19.03

$3.62 R$18.67

1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 R$40.86

$7.39 R$38.13

7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.94

$2.07 R$10.67

11.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.36

$0.95 R$4.90

70.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.80

$0.60 R$3.12

151.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.12

$1.32 R$6.81

18.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.39

$0.88 R$4.55

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.77

$1.10 R$5.67

1.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.49

$0.74 R$3.84

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.16

$0.65 R$3.36

-6.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 R$9.96

$2.07 R$10.67

-6.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 R$45.48

$7.97 R$41.14

10.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.55

$1.22 R$6.31

4.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.93

$2.08 R$10.73

1.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.40

$0.85 R$4.38

45.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$203

$42.63 R$220

-7.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.05 R$5.44

1.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.62

$0.75 R$3.88

-6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 R$40.30

$6.52 R$33.67

19.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.49

$0.98 R$5.07

8.16%

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

$20.8K R$107.5K

$20.9K R$107.9K

-0.41%

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

$27.7K R$143.0K

$27.7K R$142.7K

0.21%

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

$105 R$541

$68.0 R$351

53.99%

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

$11.85 R$61.1

$13.55 R$69.9

-12.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 R$96.0

$19.02 R$98.1

-2.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.06 R$135

$29.91 R$154

-12.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$125

$21.67 R$112

11.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R$33.79

$5.35 R$27.61

22.43%

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

$554 R$2,857

$270 R$1,392

105.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$60.4K

$6,418 R$33.1K

82.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.85 R$237

$48.50 R$250

-5.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.26 R$213

$41.48 R$214

-0.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 R$397

$76.9 R$397

0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 R$321

$65.5 R$338

-4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,269

$313 R$1,615

40.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,736

$220 R$1,134

52.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 R$4,411

$422 R$2,177

102.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 R$2,959

$427 R$2,204

34.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,445 R$17.8K

$1,559 R$8,048

120.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,581

$1,133 R$5,845

29.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 R$2,845

$395 R$2,039

39.55%

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 16, 2026

Last update for Uberaba: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Rio de Janeiro and $313 in Uberaba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 40% 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: $37.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $32.00 in Uberaba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $156 per month, with Uberaba 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 Uberaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Uberaba differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($980 vs $752 including rent). Uberaba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% 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: $440 in Rio de Janeiro versus $313 in Uberaba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Uberaba – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $37.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $980 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $752 in Uberaba – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 in Uberaba versus $980 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Uberaba but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Uberaba 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 Uberaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.