Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartersville, GA and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,794 in Cartersville, GA, rent and utilities included – about $18,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cartersville, GA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,794
/mo nomad
Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,289
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cartersville, GA 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 Cartersville, GA and in Rio de Janeiro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,794 in Cartersville, GA versus $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Cartersville, GA $2,794
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,289

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,041 in Cartersville, GA versus $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Cartersville, GA $4,041
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,868

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,287 in Cartersville, GA versus $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Cartersville, GA $5,287
  • Rio de Janeiro $2,448

Living in Cartersville, GA is roughly 117% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cartersville, GA is 107% above, Rio de Janeiro is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.97 $16.97
$10.06 R$51.0
68.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2 $71.2
$40.44 R$205
76.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.04 $9.04
$8.55 R$43.35
5.73%
Cappuccino
$5.64 $5.64
$2.38 R$12.04
136.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$1.61 R$8.18
48.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.03 R$5.22
111.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.78 $4.78
$2.47 R$12.54
93.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.17 $6.17
$3.70 R$18.77
66.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.19 R$6.05
-10.08%
White Bread (500g)
$3.11 $3.11
$2.05 R$10.38
51.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$1.28 R$6.49
254.69%
Eggs
$2.94 $2.94
$2.29 R$11.60
28.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.60 $9.60
$10.76 R$54.5
-10.78%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.18 $11.18
$4.41 R$22.36
153.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.11 $16.11
$9.84 R$49.86
63.72%
Apples (1kg)
$6.36 $6.36
$2.81 R$14.25
126.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 $1.37
$1.78 R$9.03
-23.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.07 $8.07
$1.60 R$8.13
404.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.49 $5.49
$1.80 R$9.11
205.00%
Potato (1kg)
$4.14 $4.14
$1.22 R$6.17
239.34%
Onion (1kg)
$4.51 $4.51
$1.04 R$5.26
333.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.05 $2.05
$0.77 R$3.92
166.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$0.67 R$3.38
195.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.76 $8.76
$3.01 R$15.27
191.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.04 $15.04
$8.08 R$40.94
86.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.19 R$6.03
94.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 $3.63
$2.51 R$12.73
44.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$5.02 $5.02
$0.99 R$5.00
407.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$39.76 $39.76
$50.1 R$254
-20.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 $2.94
$1.22 R$6.20
140.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 $1.57
$0.92 R$4.66
70.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.87 $29.87
$8.97 R$45.45
233.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.30 R$6.57
-26.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.2K $35.2K
$23.9K R$121.0K
47.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K $22.8K
$32.9K R$166.6K
-30.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$255 $255
$133 R$676
91.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$76.8 $76.8
$10.82 R$54.8
609.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.7 $69.7
$22.90 R$116
204.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$30.79 R$156
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$31.85 R$161
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.85 $14.85
$8.05 R$40.83
84.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,356 $1,356
$598 R$3,029
126.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K $17.9K
$13.4K R$68.0K
33.68%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.15 $32.15
$42.04 R$213
-23.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.69 $35.69
$49.68 R$252
-28.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.3 $67.3
$74.5 R$378
-9.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.0 $81.0
$68.7 R$348
17.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,127 $2,127
$903 R$4,578
135.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,503 $1,503
$529 R$2,684
183.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,006 $3,006
$1,326 R$6,724
126.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,514 $2,514
$756 R$3,831
232.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,010 R$20.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,560 R$7,910
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cartersville, GA
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$640 R$3,242
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.5
11.93
-45.52%

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

Last update for Cartersville, GA: October 12, 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
Cartersville, GA
$1.5K
Rio de Janeiro
$529 64.8% $974
Groceries & Markets
Cartersville, GA
$407
Rio de Janeiro
$215 47.2% $192
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cartersville, GA
$401
Rio de Janeiro
$167 58.4% $234
Eating Out
Cartersville, GA
$285
Rio de Janeiro
$165 42.1% $120
Clothing & Footwear
Cartersville, GA
$97
Rio de Janeiro
$106 8.7% $8.4
Getting Around
Cartersville, GA
$71
Rio de Janeiro
$60 15.2% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Cartersville, GA
$30 *
Rio de Janeiro
$47 57.9% $17

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,127 in Cartersville, GA and $903 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Cartersville, GA vs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $407 vs $215 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Cartersville, GA
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🕒 Local time
17:08 5:08 PM
18:08 6:08 PM
1 h ahead of Cartersville, GA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
20,319
6,211,223
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cartersville, GA Rio de Janeiro 7,720 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cartersville, GA
  • 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
Cartersville, GA vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Cartersville, GA and in Rio de Janeiro?
Cartersville, GA and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($2,794 vs $1,289 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Cartersville, GA compared to Rio de Janeiro?
You'd need roughly $4,191 in Cartersville, GA and $1,933 in Rio de Janeiro to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Cartersville, GA and in Rio de Janeiro?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,127 in Cartersville, GA versus $903 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Cartersville, GA and in Rio de Janeiro?
A monthly transit pass in Rio de Janeiro runs roughly 26% less than in Cartersville, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Cartersville, GA and Rio de Janeiro?
Childcare runs $1,356 in Cartersville, GA versus $598 in Rio de Janeiro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,794 in Cartersville, GA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Cartersville, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Cartersville, GA and Rio de Janeiro?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Where should expats move: Cartersville, GA or Rio de Janeiro?
Expats usually find Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Cartersville, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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