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 $666 per month in Banjul vs $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,180 per month in Banjul vs $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,693 per month in Banjul vs $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Banjul is about 45% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Banjul and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Banjul 52% lower, Rio de Janeiro 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 GMD 568

$8.50 R$43.56

-9.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 GMD 5,704

$38.02 R$195

104.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 GMD 603

$7.62 R$39.03

7.61%

Cappuccino

$3.88 GMD 285

$2.24 R$11.48

73.21%

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

$2.80 GMD 206

$1.56 R$7.97

79.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 GMD 117

$1.04 R$5.32

53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 GMD 428

$2.27 R$11.63

156.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 GMD 340

$3.31 R$16.93

39.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 GMD 97.0

$1.11 R$5.67

18.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 GMD 45.40

$1.96 R$10.03

-68.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 GMD 95.8

$1.33 R$6.80

-2.26%

Eggs

$1.99 GMD 146

$2.22 R$11.37

-10.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 GMD 445

$10.35 R$53.0

-41.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.65 GMD 194

$4.32 R$22.15

-38.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 GMD 400

$9.42 R$48.27

-42.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 GMD 145

$2.64 R$13.52

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 GMD 93.1

$1.72 R$8.83

-26.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 GMD 129

$1.52 R$7.79

15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 GMD 97.9

$1.79 R$9.15

-25.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 GMD 64.3

$1.23 R$6.28

-29.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 GMD 73.8

$1.03 R$5.30

-2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 GMD 16.89

$0.70 R$3.58

-67.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 GMD 45.07

$0.63 R$3.23

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 GMD 126

$2.91 R$14.89

-41.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 GMD 461

$7.84 R$40.15

-20.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 GMD 110

$1.10 R$5.65

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 GMD 129

$2.56 R$13.10

-31.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 GMD 15.84

$1.00 R$5.11

-78.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.40 GMD 471

$48.98 R$251

-86.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 GMD 51.3

$0.88 R$4.49

-20.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 GMD 295

$8.97 R$45.97

-55.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 GMD 75.6

$1.26 R$6.45

-18.25%

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

$2,677 GMD 196.7K

$23.3K R$119.6K

-88.54%

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

$3,223 GMD 236.9K

$32.2K R$165.1K

-90.00%

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

$30.50 GMD 2,242

$132 R$675

-76.84%

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

$14.30 GMD 1,051

$10.95 R$56.1

30.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.33 GMD 3,258

$21.95 R$112

101.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.22 GMD 1,707

$28.50 R$146

-18.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.70 GMD 1,007

$30.26 R$155

-54.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 GMD 255

$7.80 R$39.98

-55.51%

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

$6.93 GMD 509

$538 R$2,756

-98.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$137 GMD 10.1K

$12.8K R$65.6K

-98.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 GMD 4,128

$40.62 R$208

38.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.12 GMD 3,243

$46.36 R$238

-4.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 GMD 7,283

$69.7 R$357

42.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 GMD 6,507

$64.6 R$331

36.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 GMD 7,558

$828 R$4,242

-87.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$82.5 GMD 6,066

$467 R$2,395

-82.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 GMD 15.8K

$1,264 R$6,474

-82.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 GMD 10.1K

$723 R$3,704

-80.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,430 GMD 105.1K

$4,042 R$20.7K

-64.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 GMD 83.1K

$1,511 R$7,743

-25.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$61.5 GMD 4,522

$613 R$3,142

-89.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

25.73%

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

Last update for Banjul: August 31, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Banjul versus $828 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 897% 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 $78.0 in Banjul versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries tell a different story – $148 in Banjul vs $207 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 81%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $999 per month in Banjul and $1,807 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 $666 in Banjul and $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 665% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjul, where all-in costs run around $666, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,205. In Banjul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.