Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,759 in Amherst, MA, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index

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Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,759

/mo nomad

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,289

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Amherst, MA and in Rio de Janeiro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Amherst, MA and in Rio de Janeiro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,759 in Amherst, MA versus $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro.

Amherst, MA $2,759
Rio de Janeiro $1,289

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,250 in Amherst, MA versus $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro.

Amherst, MA $4,250
Rio de Janeiro $1,868

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,742 in Amherst, MA versus $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro.

Amherst, MA $5,742
Rio de Janeiro $2,448

Living in Amherst, MA is roughly 114% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Amherst, MA is 104% above, Rio de Janeiro is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.37 $20.37

$10.06 R$51.0

102.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$40.44 R$205

71.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 $9.18

$8.55 R$43.35

7.37%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$2.38 R$12.04

104.20%

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

$2.62 $2.62

$1.61 R$8.18

62.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.03 R$5.22

89.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$2.47 R$12.54

139.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.63 $10.63

$3.70 R$18.77

187.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.19 R$6.05

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.05 R$10.38

54.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.12 $7.12

$1.28 R$6.49

456.25%

Eggs

$4.68 $4.68

$2.29 R$11.60

104.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$10.76 R$54.5

51.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$4.41 R$22.36

255.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.11 $18.11

$9.84 R$49.86

84.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.81 R$14.25

71.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.78 R$9.03

-23.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.60 R$8.13

103.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$1.80 R$9.11

167.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.22 R$6.17

165.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.04 R$5.26

241.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.77 R$3.92

187.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.67 R$3.38

204.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.38 $10.38

$3.01 R$15.27

244.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.16 $12.16

$8.08 R$40.94

50.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.19 R$6.03

72.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.51 R$12.73

57.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$0.99 R$5.00

30.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.49 $27.49

$50.1 R$254

-45.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.22 R$6.20

183.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.92 R$4.66

48.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.92 $29.92

$8.97 R$45.45

233.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.30 R$6.57

-29.23%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$23.9K R$121.0K

52.98%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$32.9K R$166.6K

-23.41%

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

$207 $207

$133 R$676

55.52%

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

$56.8 $56.8

$10.82 R$54.8

424.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.5 $90.5

$22.90 R$116

295.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 $120

$30.79 R$156

288.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.15 $7.15

$31.85 R$161

-77.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.64 $10.64

$8.05 R$40.83

32.17%

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

$1,513 $1,513

$598 R$3,029

153.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$13.4K R$68.0K

25.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.36 $44.36

$42.04 R$213

5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 $40.35

$49.68 R$252

-18.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$74.5 R$378

20.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$68.7 R$348

55.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 $1,826

$903 R$4,578

102.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$529 R$2,684

153.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$1,326 R$6,724

198.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$756 R$3,831

254.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 $4,010

$4,010 R$20.3K

0.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,000 $4,000

$1,560 R$7,910

156.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$640 R$3,242

645.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

11.93

-48.87%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$529 41.1% 60.6% $813

Groceries & Markets

Amherst, MA

$433 15.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7% 50.4% $219

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Amherst, MA

$355 12.9%

Rio de Janeiro

$167 13% 52.9% $188

Eating Out

Amherst, MA

$318 11.5%

Rio de Janeiro

$165 12.8% 48.1% $153

Sport & Entertainment

Amherst, MA

$141 5.1%

Rio de Janeiro

$47 3.6% 66.8% $94

Clothing & Footwear

Amherst, MA

$127 4.6%

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2% 16.5% $21

Getting Around

Amherst, MA

$43 1.6%

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7% 39.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,826 in Amherst, MA and $903 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 646% 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: $69.0 in Amherst, MA vs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 vs $215 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🕒 Local time

07:31 7:31 AM

08:31 8:31 AM

1 h ahead of Amherst, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,819

6,211,223

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Amherst, MA Rio de Janeiro 7,860 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Amherst, MA
Rio de Janeiro

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Amherst, MA vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 646% higher in Amherst, MA, 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: $1,826 in Amherst, MA versus $903 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,513 in Amherst, MA versus $598 in Rio de Janeiro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,759 in Amherst, MA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Amherst, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rio de Janeiro is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Amherst, MA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Amherst, MA and Rio de Janeiro are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.