Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfield, CT and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,273 a month against $2,624 in Fairfield, CT, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Fairfield, CT
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Fairfield, CT Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index

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Fairfield, CT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,624

/mo nomad

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,273

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,624 per month in Fairfield, CT vs $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Fairfield, CT $2,624
Rio de Janeiro $1,273

A couple spends around $3,865 per month in Fairfield, CT vs $1,841 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Fairfield, CT $3,865
Rio de Janeiro $1,841

A family of three spends $5,106 per month in Fairfield, CT vs $2,409 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Fairfield, CT $5,106
Rio de Janeiro $2,409

Fairfield, CT costs about 106% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Fairfield, CT sits 94% above the global median, while Rio de Janeiro is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.72 $19.72

$9.38 R$47.54

110.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$40.00 R$203

84.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 $11.48

$8.34 R$42.28

37.65%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$2.29 R$11.62

145.85%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$1.59 R$8.05

54.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.01 R$5.10

77.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 $5.88

$2.14 R$10.85

174.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 $7.04

$3.66 R$18.55

92.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.13 R$5.72

-10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.09 R$10.60

69.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.25 R$6.36

250.40%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$2.25 R$11.39

88.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 $12.61

$10.92 R$55.3

15.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 $11.70

$4.36 R$22.10

168.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.14 $17.14

$9.60 R$48.66

78.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.85 R$14.46

51.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.81 R$9.16

-14.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.58 R$8.02

143.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.83 R$9.28

138.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.20 R$6.10

142.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.06 R$5.35

154.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.75 R$3.81

182.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.68 R$3.45

245.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.85 $8.85

$2.94 R$14.90

201.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.52 $15.52

$7.98 R$40.43

94.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.18 R$5.98

66.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.42 R$12.26

29.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.94 R$4.78

115.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.0 $70.0

$50.3 R$255

39.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.20 R$6.10

173.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.83 R$4.20

106.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.28 $30.28

$8.97 R$45.48

237.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.29 R$6.53

-11.63%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$22.8K R$115.5K

33.57%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$34.0K R$172.1K

-22.96%

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

$197 $197

$134 R$681

46.66%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$10.73 R$54.4

440.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$22.84 R$116

208.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.03 $42.03

$30.16 R$153

39.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.49 R$160

Cinema Ticket

$14.29 $14.29

$7.73 R$39.17

84.86%

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

$1,424 $1,424

$584 R$2,960

143.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$12.8K R$64.9K

82.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$41.12 R$208

27.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.95 $40.95

$49.26 R$250

-16.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$73.7 R$373

19.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$65.9 R$334

74.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 $1,567

$900 R$4,561

74.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$527 R$2,673

144.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,545 $2,545

$1,332 R$6,754

91.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,184 $2,184

$748 R$3,790

192.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,337 $2,337

$3,990 R$20.2K

-41.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,221 $2,221

$1,560 R$7,908

42.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,993 $4,993

$640 R$3,246

679.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

-49.71%

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

Last update for Fairfield, CT: October 19, 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

Fairfield, CT

$1.3K 49.2%

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41.4% 59.1% $763

Groceries & Markets

Fairfield, CT

$394 15%

Rio de Janeiro

$214 16.8% 45.7% $180

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairfield, CT

$326 12.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.2% 48.4% $158

Eating Out

Fairfield, CT

$320 12.2%

Rio de Janeiro

$156 12.3% 51.3% $164

Clothing & Footwear

Fairfield, CT

$134 5.1%

Rio de Janeiro

$103 8.1% 22.5% $30

Getting Around

Fairfield, CT

$90 3.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$59 4.7% 33.9% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Fairfield, CT

$71 2.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$46 3.6% 35.4% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,567 in Fairfield, CT 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 680% higher in Fairfield, CT, 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 $74.0 in Fairfield, CT versus $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $214 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairfield, CT

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🕒 Local time

15:34 3:34 PM

16:34 4:34 PM

1 h ahead of Fairfield, CT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

117,133

6,211,223

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

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Between locations

Fairfield, CT Rio de Janeiro 7,770 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Fairfield, CT
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

Fairfield, CT vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fairfield, CT is pricier by about 106%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,936 per month in Fairfield, CT and $1,910 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 Rio de Janeiro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,424 per month in Fairfield, CT and $584 in Rio de Janeiro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 84% more in Fairfield, CT, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,273, than in Fairfield, CT at $2,624. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fairfield, CT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rio de Janeiro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rio de Janeiro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fairfield, CT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.