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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $737 in Caraguatatuba versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,204 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Caraguatatuba costs roughly 23% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caraguatatuba 45% lower, Rio de Janeiro 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 R$34.55

$7.20 R$36.03

-4.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.11 R$131

$35.52 R$178

-26.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 R$33.12

$6.44 R$32.25

2.80%

Cappuccino

$1.75 R$8.75

$1.97 R$9.88

-11.17%

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

$1.06 R$5.29

$1.27 R$6.38

-16.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$3.81

$0.90 R$4.49

-15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.19

$1.76 R$8.83

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R$13.89

$2.68 R$13.43

3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 R$4.41

$1.16 R$5.82

-24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.34

$1.70 R$8.50

-13.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$5.95

$1.41 R$7.07

-15.60%

Eggs

$1.69 R$8.45

$2.00 R$10.00

-15.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.47 R$27.39

$8.05 R$40.27

-32.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 R$14.89

$3.62 R$18.11

-17.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.08 R$35.43

$8.20 R$41.04

-13.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.21

$2.40 R$12.00

-23.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.33

$1.58 R$7.91

5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.81

$1.49 R$7.48

-8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.61

$1.56 R$7.81

10.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.77

$1.30 R$6.53

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 R$3.44

$1.10 R$5.52

-37.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 R$3.31

$0.68 R$3.42

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.37

$0.58 R$2.90

15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 R$8.92

$1.95 R$9.75

-8.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 R$35.49

$8.73 R$43.69

-18.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.88

$1.21 R$6.08

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.41

$2.15 R$10.77

-3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.64

$1.23 R$6.16

-24.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.52 R$103

$39.30 R$197

-47.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.31

$1.11 R$5.57

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R$3.08

$0.71 R$3.57

-12.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 R$16.29

$7.37 R$36.90

-55.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.33

$1.07 R$5.37

-0.93%

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

$13.9K R$69.6K

$20.4K R$101.9K

-31.67%

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

$27.1K R$135.7K

$27.1K R$135.6K

0.11%

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

$51.7 R$259

$104 R$519

-50.21%

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

$11.52 R$57.6

$12.18 R$61.0

-5.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.75 R$104

$18.70 R$93.6

10.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.48 R$97.5

$25.68 R$128

-24.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 R$70.8

$24.37 R$122

-41.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 R$36.70

$6.60 R$33.05

11.06%

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

$198 R$991

$542 R$2,712

-63.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,829 R$19.2K

$11.8K R$59.1K

-67.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 R$258

$44.23 R$221

16.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 R$281

$41.91 R$210

34.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 R$357

$76.8 R$385

-7.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 R$263

$62.0 R$310

-15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 R$1,857

$438 R$2,194

-15.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 R$1,037

$331 R$1,654

-37.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 R$3,853

$838 R$4,196

-8.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 R$2,383

$569 R$2,849

-16.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 R$7,880

$3,356 R$16.8K

-53.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,153 R$5,770

$1,389 R$6,950

-16.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$330 R$1,654

$548 R$2,743

-39.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

11.33

-28.07%

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

Last update for Caraguatatuba: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Caraguatatuba and $438 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 66% 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: $26.00 in Caraguatatuba vs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $188 per month, with Caraguatatuba cheaper across the board.

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

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

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rio de Janeiro earns 66% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $371 in Caraguatatuba versus $438 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $737 in Caraguatatuba versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.