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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $768 in Castanhal versus $948 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,219 in Castanhal versus $1,487 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,671 in Castanhal versus $2,026 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Castanhal costs roughly 19% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castanhal 43% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 R$27.14

$7.03 R$34.96

-22.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.84 R$133

$35.46 R$176

-24.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$30.50

$6.19 R$30.78

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$1.73 R$8.60

$2.00 R$9.92

-13.50%

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

$1.08 R$5.34

$1.29 R$6.41

-16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.24

$0.90 R$4.46

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.76

$1.76 R$8.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.23

$2.63 R$13.09

1.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.59

$1.13 R$5.62

-18.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.14

$1.69 R$8.40

-14.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.59

$1.42 R$7.04

-20.42%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.67

$1.92 R$9.55

1.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 R$41.35

$7.79 R$38.73

6.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 R$17.61

$3.63 R$18.05

-2.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.10 R$35.26

$7.99 R$39.72

-11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 R$10.16

$2.33 R$11.60

-12.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.25

$1.60 R$7.96

-21.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 R$5.92

$1.46 R$7.25

-18.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.57 R$7.80

-8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.72

$1.25 R$6.19

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.52

$1.16 R$5.76

-4.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.42

$0.69 R$3.44

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.12

$0.62 R$3.07

1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.51

$1.97 R$9.77

7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 R$42.42

$7.90 R$39.28

7.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 R$6.34

$1.27 R$6.33

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 R$10.23

$2.12 R$10.52

-2.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.38

$1.28 R$6.38

-31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.11 R$189

$38.38 R$191

-0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.24

$1.11 R$5.54

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.51

$0.71 R$3.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$31.56

$7.79 R$38.70

-18.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.32

$1.06 R$5.29

0.94%

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

$21.1K R$104.9K

$20.9K R$104.0K

0.85%

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

$27.6K R$137.3K

$27.9K R$138.6K

-0.90%

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

$60.7 R$301

$103 R$513

-41.27%

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

$13.59 R$67.6

$12.22 R$60.7

11.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.07 R$94.8

$18.82 R$93.5

1.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.46 R$112

$25.63 R$127

-12.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.19 R$105

$24.19 R$120

-12.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 R$30.50

$6.38 R$31.72

-3.76%

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

$266 R$1,322

$551 R$2,738

-51.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,577 R$32.7K

$11.7K R$58.1K

-43.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.69 R$242

$45.89 R$228

6.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.48 R$211

$41.16 R$205

3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 R$370

$76.5 R$380

-2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 R$319

$60.8 R$302

5.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 R$1,561

$433 R$2,154

-27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 R$1,060

$336 R$1,669

-36.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 R$2,936

$853 R$4,237

-30.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 R$2,161

$589 R$2,926

-26.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,632 R$8,111

$2,926 R$14.5K

-44.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,278 R$6,353

$1,342 R$6,668

-4.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 R$2,708

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.33

-3.62%

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

Last update for Castanhal: April 21, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $314 in Castanhal and $433 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27 in Castanhal vs $35 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $185 per month, with Castanhal 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

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

Castanhal wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Rio de Janeiro. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Castanhal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,152 in Castanhal and $1,422 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $314 in Castanhal versus $433 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Castanhal – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $768 per month in Castanhal versus $948 in Rio de Janeiro – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Castanhal gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Castanhal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $768 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Castanhal hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Castanhal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.