Patrick Bruha

Patrick Bruha

Staff Writer
The Brazil Business

Updated

Cost of Living in Belo Horizonte in 2015

Patrick Bruha

Patrick Bruha

Staff Writer
The Brazil Business

Updated

Belo Horizonte is one of the Brazilian cities that hosted matches during the 2014 FIFA World Cup including a semifinal match, which has drawn international attention to the city and to the services that it offers. In this article you will find some of the primary costs related to relocating to Belo Horizonte.

City Overview

One of the major Brazilian cities, Belo Horizonte is located in the state of Minas Gerais, in the Southeastern region of Brazil. The city, commonly addressed as BH, is the fifth wealthiest city in Brazil and sixth most populated, being home to almost 2,5 million inhabitants.

Its metropolitan area is constituted of 34 municipalities, being the third major conurbation in Brazil and is responsible for 45% of the state's GDP. Located in a strategical position for logistics, as it is located between the coastline and Brazil’s inland, it is the seventh municipality in terms of infrastructure, being served by roads and railway networks connected to major cities and ports.

More than 80% of its economy is concentrated in the services sector especially commerce, financial services and real estate.

The arrival of multinational companies started in the 70s, with the establishment of FIAT Automóveis, who were partly responsible for the creation of an industrial hub in Betim, a city located in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte.

Accommodation

The cost of renting an apartment in Belo Horizonte varies a lot according to the neighbourhood. Since the middle of 2000, prices in the real estate market grew at an average of 6% per year, roughly the inflation index during the same time span.

The most upmarket neighbourhoods in Belo Horizonte are:

  • Belvedere
  • Cidade Jardim
  • Funcionários
  • Lourdes
  • Mangabeiras
  • Pampulha
  • Santa Lúcia

Prices for monthly rent of accommodation in Belo Horizonte are:

Kitchenette (in an upmarket area)

BRL 1.013

Two bedroom apartment (in an upmarket area)

BRL 1.678

Three bedroom apartment (in an upmarket area)

BRL 2.351

Kitchenette (in an affordable area )

BRL 598

Two bedroom apartment (in an affordable area

BRL 966

Three bedroom apartment (in an affordable area)

BRL 1.227

Average prices for hotel accommodation for one person are:

Daily rate in a luxury hotel

BRL 293

Daily rate in an economic hotel

BRL 102

Prices for housing utilities and different apparels are:

Public utilities (electricity, gas, water and telephone) for one month in an average two bedroom apartment

BRL 187

Monthly rate for 8MB of internet access

BRL 69

40” flat screen TV

BRL 1.941

Mainstream brand microwave

BRL 375

Laundry detergent (300 ml)

BRL 2

Hourly rate for housekeeper

BRL 12

Foods and beverage

Average prices for food and beverages in restaurants are:

Lunch at cheap restaurants

BRL 10

Lunch at expensive restaurants

BRL 46

Combo meal at fast food restaurant (Big Mac or similar)

BRL 21

Bottle of beer (600 ml)

BRL 7

Can of beer can (350 ml)

BRL 3,50

Draft beer (300 ml)

BRL 5,50

Coca-cola (2 liters)

BRL 5,50

Small black coffee

BRL 1,70

Average prices for food and beverages in supermarkets and grocery stores are:

Soybean oil (1 liter)

BRL 2,85

Instant coffee (500g)

BRL 6,30

Beans (1 kg)

BRL 5,05

Potatoes (2 kg)

BRL 2,90

Local beer (0,5 L)

BRL 3,30

Boneless chicken breast (½ kg)

BRL 7

Apples (1 kg)

BRL 4,75

Local cheese (500 g)

BRL 13

Eggs (Dozen)

BRL 5,85

Tomatoes (1 kg)

BRL 4,15

Sugar (5 kg)

BRL 7,50

Rice (5kg)

BRL 10,50

French rolls (1 kg)

BRL 8,65

Milk (1 liter)

BRL 2,50

Personal care

The average price for personal care items is:

Cold and flu medicine for six days

BRL 17

Box of 32 tampons

BRL 12

Deodorant (50 ml)

BRL 10

Shampoo (400 ml)

BRL 10

Four rolls of toilet paper

BRL 5,50

Toothpaste

BRL 3,25

Entertainment

The average price for different entertainment options in Belo Horizonte are:

Cinema ticket

BRL 17,75

3D Cinema ticket

BRL 25,50

Monthly gym membership

BRL 104,50

Theater ticket

BRL 33,50

National concert

BRL 58,50

Football ticket

BRL 65,50

Entry to a night club

BRL 37

Transportation

Transportation prices were raised in December 2014, as in all other major Brazilian cities.

The tariffs for public transportation and average prices for private transportation are:

Bus

BRL 3,10

Subway

BRL 1,80

Base price for taxi

BRL 5,17

Taxi price per km - Bandeira 1

BRL 2,85

Taxi price per km - Bandeira 2

BRL 3,42

Gasoline (liter)

BRL 3,10

Ethanol (liter)

BRL 2,25

Cost to park for 1 hour downtown

BRL 11,30

Education

The average prices for education in Belo Horizonte are:

Monthly kindergarten rate

BRL 545

Monthly rate at elementary school

BRL 689,40

Monthly rate at high school

BRL 834,50

Monthly rate at college

BRL 927,40