Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between East Rutherford, NJ and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,273 a month against $2,319 in East Rutherford, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

East Rutherford, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,319
/mo nomad
Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,273
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,319 per month in East Rutherford, NJ vs $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • East Rutherford, NJ $2,319
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,273

A couple spends around $3,871 per month in East Rutherford, NJ vs $1,841 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • East Rutherford, NJ $3,871
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,841

A family of three spends $5,423 per month in East Rutherford, NJ vs $2,409 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • East Rutherford, NJ $5,423
  • Rio de Janeiro $2,409

East Rutherford, NJ costs about 82% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

East Rutherford, NJ sits 71% above the global median, while Rio de Janeiro is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.74 $21.74
$9.38 R$47.54
131.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$100 $100
$40.00 R$203
151.15%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.79 $10.79
$8.34 R$42.28
29.38%
Cappuccino
$5.17 $5.17
$2.29 R$11.62
125.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 $2.22
$1.59 R$8.05
39.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.01 R$5.10
95.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.06 $6.06
$2.14 R$10.85
183.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.22 $8.22
$3.66 R$18.55
124.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.13 R$5.72
11.50%
White Bread (500g)
$4.22 $4.22
$2.09 R$10.60
101.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.01 $7.01
$1.25 R$6.36
460.80%
Eggs
$4.95 $4.95
$2.25 R$11.39
120.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.97 $11.97
$10.92 R$55.3
9.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.81 $11.81
$4.36 R$22.10
170.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.43 $17.43
$9.60 R$48.66
81.56%
Apples (1kg)
$5.49 $5.49
$2.85 R$14.46
92.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 $1.55
$1.81 R$9.16
-14.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$1.58 R$8.02
230.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.29 $5.29
$1.83 R$9.28
189.07%
Potato (1kg)
$2.71 $2.71
$1.20 R$6.10
125.83%
Onion (1kg)
$3.09 $3.09
$1.06 R$5.35
191.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.43 $2.43
$0.75 R$3.81
224.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$0.68 R$3.45
263.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.94 $11.94
$2.94 R$14.90
306.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$24.20 $24.20
$7.98 R$40.43
203.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.18 R$5.98
43.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.32 $4.32
$2.42 R$12.26
78.51%
🚌 Getting Around
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 $2.26
$0.94 R$4.78
140.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$50.3 R$255
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.64 $2.64
$1.20 R$6.10
120.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$0.83 R$4.20
90.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.68 $23.68
$8.97 R$45.48
163.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.29 R$6.53
-17.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$22.8K R$115.5K
23.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$34.0K R$172.1K
-24.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$215 $215
$134 R$681
60.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$63.0 $63.0
$10.73 R$54.4
487.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.2 $65.2
$22.84 R$116
185.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.44 $40.44
$30.16 R$153
34.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$31.49 R$160
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.22 $15.22
$7.73 R$39.17
96.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,216 $2,216
$584 R$2,960
279.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.8K $23.8K
$12.8K R$64.9K
86.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.29 $41.29
$41.12 R$208
0.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.90 $47.90
$49.26 R$250
-2.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.3 $76.3
$73.7 R$373
3.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$157 $157
$65.9 R$334
137.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,079 $1,079
$900 R$4,561
19.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$955 $955
$527 R$2,673
81.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,831 $2,831
$1,332 R$6,754
112.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,310 $2,310
$748 R$3,790
208.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,470 $2,470
$3,990 R$20.2K
-38.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,233 $2,233
$1,560 R$7,908
43.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
East Rutherford, NJ
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,174 $5,174
$640 R$3,246
707.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
11.93
-43.42%

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

Last update for East Rutherford, NJ: October 18, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
East Rutherford, NJ
$955
Rio de Janeiro
$527 44.8% $428
Groceries & Markets
East Rutherford, NJ
$453
Rio de Janeiro
$214 52.8% $239
Monthly Utilities & Internet
East Rutherford, NJ
$343
Rio de Janeiro
$168 51.1% $175
Eating Out
East Rutherford, NJ
$332
Rio de Janeiro
$156 53% $176
Clothing & Footwear
East Rutherford, NJ
$145
Rio de Janeiro
$103 28.6% $41
Sport & Entertainment
East Rutherford, NJ
$71
Rio de Janeiro
$46 35.6% $25
Getting Around
East Rutherford, NJ
$20 *
Rio de Janeiro
$59 203% $40

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,079 in East Rutherford, NJ versus $900 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 708% higher in East Rutherford, NJ, 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 $100 in East Rutherford, NJ versus $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $453 vs $214 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 East Rutherford, NJ
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🕒 Local time
06:21 6:21 AM
07:21 7:21 AM
1 h ahead of East Rutherford, NJ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,000
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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 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
  • East Rutherford, NJ Rio de Janeiro 7,770 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • East Rutherford, NJ
  • 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
East Rutherford, NJ vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, East Rutherford, NJ or Rio de Janeiro?
East Rutherford, NJ costs about 82% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in East Rutherford, NJ and in Rio de Janeiro?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,478 per month in East Rutherford, NJ and $1,910 in Rio de Janeiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, East Rutherford, NJ or Rio de Janeiro?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rio de Janeiro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in East Rutherford, NJ and in Rio de Janeiro?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in East Rutherford, NJ and $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in East Rutherford, NJ or in Rio de Janeiro?
Groceries cost about 112% more in East Rutherford, NJ, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,000/month in East Rutherford, NJ or in Rio de Janeiro?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,273, than in East Rutherford, NJ at $2,319. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in East Rutherford, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, East Rutherford, NJ or Rio de Janeiro?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rio de Janeiro costs $1,273 versus $2,319 in East Rutherford, NJ. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to East Rutherford, NJ or to Rio de Janeiro?
If budget matters most, go with Rio de Janeiro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, East Rutherford, NJ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

East Rutherford, NJ vs other spots: cost of living compared

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