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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $611 per month in Banjul vs $945 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,093 per month in Banjul vs $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,576 per month in Banjul vs $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Banjul is about 35% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Banjul and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 54% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 GMD 413

$7.35 R$37.57

-24.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 GMD 4,789

$35.43 R$181

82.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 GMD 505

$6.28 R$32.12

8.44%

Cappuccino

$2.52 GMD 187

$1.90 R$9.72

32.63%

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

$2.16 GMD 160

$1.29 R$6.57

67.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 GMD 99.9

$0.91 R$4.66

48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 GMD 303

$1.75 R$8.95

133.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 GMD 314

$2.73 R$13.98

54.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 GMD 104

$1.13 R$5.77

23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 GMD 39.56

$1.71 R$8.73

-69.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 GMD 104

$1.43 R$7.29

-1.40%

Eggs

$2.07 GMD 154

$2.04 R$10.42

1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 GMD 459

$7.74 R$39.58

-20.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 GMD 216

$3.49 R$17.82

-16.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 GMD 440

$8.01 R$40.93

-25.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 GMD 157

$2.30 R$11.76

-7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 GMD 94.1

$1.57 R$8.05

-19.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 GMD 139

$1.51 R$7.73

24.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 GMD 108

$1.55 R$7.90

-5.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 GMD 68.3

$1.24 R$6.36

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 GMD 73.8

$1.12 R$5.70

-10.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 GMD 17.68

$0.64 R$3.27

-62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 GMD 29.61

$0.57 R$2.91

-29.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 GMD 132

$2.00 R$10.22

-11.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 GMD 471

$7.92 R$40.48

-19.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 GMD 117

$1.26 R$6.43

25.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 GMD 128

$2.05 R$10.47

-16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 GMD 16.32

$1.29 R$6.58

-82.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.71 GMD 497

$39.50 R$202

-83.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 GMD 26.70

$1.07 R$5.46

-66.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 GMD 50.2

$0.66 R$3.39

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.14 GMD 307

$7.39 R$37.78

-43.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 GMD 84.5

$1.11 R$5.66

2.70%

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

$2,717 GMD 201.5K

$20.7K R$105.7K

-86.86%

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

$3,409 GMD 252.8K

$27.5K R$140.6K

-87.61%

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

$32.46 GMD 2,407

$103 R$526

-68.47%

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

$15.13 GMD 1,122

$11.99 R$61.3

26.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.78 GMD 3,543

$18.51 R$94.6

158.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.52 GMD 1,819

$26.11 R$133

-6.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 GMD 1,046

$24.43 R$125

-42.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 GMD 270

$6.34 R$32.40

-42.43%

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

$6.91 GMD 512

$554 R$2,831

-98.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$140 GMD 10.4K

$11.8K R$60.2K

-98.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 GMD 4,119

$45.24 R$231

22.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.17 GMD 3,349

$41.69 R$213

8.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 GMD 7,381

$76.5 R$391

30.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 GMD 6,359

$62.0 R$317

38.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 GMD 7,607

$444 R$2,269

-76.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$54.3 GMD 4,025

$326 R$1,664

-83.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 GMD 17.1K

$847 R$4,328

-72.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 GMD 10.5K

$578 R$2,952

-75.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,436 GMD 106.5K

$3,657 R$18.7K

-60.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,152 GMD 85.4K

$1,475 R$7,538

-21.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$61.4 GMD 4,554

$594 R$3,035

-89.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

11.33

-10.68%

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

Last update for Banjul: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Banjul versus $444 in Rio de Janeiro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 867% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Banjul versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries tell a different story – $152 in Banjul vs $183 in Rio de Janeiro – so Banjul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Banjul vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $916 per month in Banjul and $1,417 in Rio de Janeiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Banjul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $611 in Banjul and $945 in Rio de Janeiro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 489% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $611 in Banjul and $945 in Rio de Janeiro, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banjul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Banjul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rio de Janeiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.