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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Rio de Janeiro versus $608 in Varginha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Rio de Janeiro versus $971 in Varginha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,334 in Varginha.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 56% more expensive than Varginha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Varginha 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.12

$6.23 R$31.52

17.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 R$184

$22.05 R$112

65.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 R$31.74

$6.19 R$31.34

1.29%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.00

$0.86 R$4.35

130.23%

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

$1.27 R$6.42

$0.79 R$4.01

60.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.27

$0.53 R$2.68

58.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.98

$1.29 R$6.53

37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$14.04

$3.15 R$15.95

-12.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.60

$1.14 R$5.77

-2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.65

$1.43 R$7.23

19.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.48

$0.88 R$4.47

68.18%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$1.27 R$6.45

57.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 R$39.35

$7.68 R$38.90

1.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.35

$3.70 R$18.73

-1.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 R$40.88

$7.33 R$37.11

10.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.67

$1.23 R$6.21

87.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.97

$1.28 R$6.48

22.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.39

$0.91 R$4.63

60.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.67

$1.16 R$5.89

31.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.38

$0.82 R$4.15

53.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.87

$0.92 R$4.68

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$0.46 R$2.34

39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.88

$0.58 R$2.95

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.22

$4.68 R$23.67

82.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.16

$1.00 R$5.08

22.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.40

$1.60 R$8.11

28.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 R$6.31

$0.81 R$4.09

54.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.19 R$198

$38.40 R$194

2.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.67

$0.92 R$4.66

21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.37

$0.61 R$3.08

9.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 R$37.61

$5.86 R$29.66

26.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.66

$1.03 R$5.22

8.74%

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

$20.5K R$103.6K

$22.4K R$113.6K

-8.77%

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

$27.1K R$137.0K

$26.5K R$134.0K

2.23%

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

$103 R$519

$47.63 R$241

115.33%

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

$12.09 R$61.2

$4.56 R$23.10

165.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 R$97.1

$17.73 R$89.8

8.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.29 R$133

$22.09 R$112

19.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 R$120

$21.29 R$108

11.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 R$32.71

$5.52 R$27.96

17.03%

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

$537 R$2,716

$199 R$1,010

169.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.1K

$3,898 R$19.7K

199.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 R$229

$32.73 R$166

37.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 R$208

$52.3 R$265

-21.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 R$383

$72.6 R$368

4.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 R$303

$53.1 R$269

12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,225

$135 R$685

224.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R$1,645

$104 R$527

211.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 R$4,341

$242 R$1,225

254.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,917

$232 R$1,174

148.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,415 R$17.3K

$1,534 R$7,768

122.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,437

$1,123 R$5,687

30.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 R$2,714

$445 R$2,254

20.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

13.30%

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 Varginha: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Rio de Janeiro and $135 in Varginha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 20% 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 $22.00 in Varginha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $152 per month, with Varginha 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 Varginha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Varginha differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($952 vs $608 including rent). Varginha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 20% 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 $135 in Varginha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Varginha – a meal for two runs $22.00 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 $608 in Varginha – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Varginha 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 Varginha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.