Cost of living in Belo Horizonte
One of the major Brazilian cities, Belo Horizonte metropolitan area is famous for its economic potential. Learn some aspects of this metropolis and how much living there is going to cost you.
Capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, which is the second most populous state in the country, Belo Horizonte is one of the fourth wealthiest Brazilian cities. Its metropolitan area is constituted by 34 municipalities, being the 3rd major conurbation in Brazil and is responsible for 45% of the state's GDP.
Located in a strategical position for logistics, 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, that was one of the responsible for the creation of an industrial hub in Betim, 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 neighborhood. Over the last 10 years, the upper-class real estate market grew 108%, doubling the renting prices. Just to give an idea, a two bedroom unfurnished apartment at Funcionários neighborhood ranges from BRL 2.000,00 to BRL 4.000,00; while in downtown area it is possible to rent a three bedroom apartment for BRL 1100,00.
The most upscale neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte are:
- Mangabeiras
- Cidade Jardim
- Funcionários
- Pampulha
- Belvedere
- Santa Lúcia
- Lourdes
| Item | Price |
| Renting price for a furnished apartment in Lourdes (45sqm) | BRL 2150,00 (per month) |
| Renting price of a furnished apartment in Funcionários (50sqm) | BRL 2200,00 (per month) |
| Renting price for an unfurnished apartment in Belvedere (80sqm – 2 bedrooms) | BRL 2.500,00 (per month) |
Foods and beverage
| Item | Price |
| Large whole grain bread | BRL 4,59 |
| 500g ham | BRL 7,00 |
| 150 gram Philadelphia cream cheese | BRL 4,30 |
| Frozen meal | BRL 7,00 |
| 600 ml Coca-Cola | BRL 1,89 |
| 2.5 l Coca-Cola | BRL 4,35 |
| 350ml mainstream local beer | BRL 1,19 |
| 350ml imported beer | BRL 2,29 |
| Big Mac Menu | BRL 17,00 |
| European style lunch (double sandwich + coffee) | BRL 9,00 |
| Simple Brazilian style lunch (buffet + juice) | BRL 9,00 |
| Nice Brazilian style lunch (all you can eat buffet + dessert) | BRL 35,00 |
| BRL 1,80 | |
| Simple Brazilian style breakfast (french bread + coffee with cream) | BRL 3,50 |
Transportation
Belo Horizonte is served by 300 bus-routes, one subway with 19 stations and is considered the city with the best taxi system in Latin America. Public transportation is a good option in a city with terrible traffic during rush hours.
| Item | Price |
| Taxi | BRL 2,24 |
| Bus single fare | BRL 2,65 |
| Car rent | BRL 99,00 (per day) |
| 1 liter of fuel | BRL 2,20 |
Other Services
| Item | Price |
| Gym (monthly fee) | BRL 178,00 (3 times a week) |
| Basic cable TV | BRL 49,90 |
| HD cable TV | BRL 199,00 |
| Internet connection (10 Mbit/s) | BRL 60,00 (per month) |
| Laundry service (pick-up and deliver) | BRL 250,00 (per month) |
| Mobile phone subscription | BRL 60,00 |
| Movie theater ticket | BRL 24,00 |
| Simple health insurance plan (under 30 years old) | BRL 135,00 |
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