Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lauderdale, FL and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,285 a month against $3,592 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, rent and utilities included – about $27,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

175

Cost of Living Index in Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Fort Lauderdale, FL Living Index
63

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

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Fort Lauderdale, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,592

/mo nomad

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,285

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,592 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL vs $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Fort Lauderdale, FL $3,592
Rio de Janeiro $1,285

A couple spends around $5,242 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL vs $1,888 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Fort Lauderdale, FL $5,242
Rio de Janeiro $1,888

A family of three spends $6,892 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL vs $2,491 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Fort Lauderdale, FL $6,892
Rio de Janeiro $2,491

Fort Lauderdale, FL costs about 180% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Fort Lauderdale, FL sits 168% above the global median, while Rio de Janeiro is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.73 $29.73

$9.98 R$49.83

197.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.1 $90.1

$40.34 R$201

123.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 $15.15

$8.48 R$42.35

78.66%

Cappuccino

$5.31 $5.31

$2.36 R$11.80

125.00%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$1.63 R$8.13

77.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.01 R$5.06

108.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.44 R$12.19

140.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.69 R$18.43

87.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.15 R$5.72

-6.09%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.07 R$10.34

138.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.29 R$6.42

196.12%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.27 R$11.32

105.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.33 $17.33

$11.00 R$54.9

57.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.36 $10.36

$4.31 R$21.51

140.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.45 $26.45

$9.74 R$48.63

171.56%

Apples (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$2.83 R$14.12

127.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.84 R$9.17

8.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.60 R$7.96

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$1.80 R$9.00

196.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.26 R$6.28

130.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.07 R$5.34

209.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.75 R$3.75

256.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.66 R$3.29

183.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$3.05 R$15.21

281.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$8.18 R$40.84

47.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.19 R$5.92

153.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.39 R$11.92

-7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.01 R$5.06

164.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.7 $80.7

$50.2 R$250

60.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$1.27 R$6.33

216.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.90 R$4.51

102.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.65 $23.65

$9.44 R$47.13

150.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.33 R$6.65

-20.30%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$23.4K R$117.0K

41.31%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$33.6K R$167.6K

-19.09%

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

$219 $219

$134 R$666

64.40%

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

$65.1 $65.1

$12.23 R$61.0

432.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 $80.1

$22.65 R$113

253.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 $68.5

$31.56 R$158

117.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.50 $14.50

$30.87 R$154

-53.03%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 $18.01

$8.23 R$41.07

118.83%

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

$1,008 $1,008

$603 R$3,011

67.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$41.2K $41.2K

$13.2K R$66.1K

211.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.35 $47.35

$41.62 R$208

13.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.28 $41.28

$49.94 R$249

-17.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 $88.9

$75.0 R$375

18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$68.3 R$341

70.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 $2,502

$905 R$4,519

176.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 $2,062

$527 R$2,633

290.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,783 $4,783

$1,346 R$6,720

255.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,518 $3,518

$774 R$3,865

354.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,424 $5,424

$3,981 R$19.9K

36.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,178 $4,178

$1,562 R$7,798

167.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,618 $4,618

$643 R$3,210

618.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

11.93

-44.43%

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

Last update for Fort Lauderdale, FL: October 4, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$2.1K 56.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41% 74.4% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$458 12.6%

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7% 53.1% $243

Eating Out

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$410 11.3%

Rio de Janeiro

$164 12.7% 60.1% $246

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$365 10%

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.1% 53.8% $196

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$132 3.6%

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2% 20.1% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$105 2.9%

Rio de Janeiro

$48 3.7% 54.1% $56

Getting Around

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$104 2.9%

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7% 42.6% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,502 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $905 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 618% higher in Fort Lauderdale, FL, 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 $90.0 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $458 vs $215 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Lauderdale, FL

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🕒 Local time

02:53 2:53 AM

03:53 3:53 AM

1 h ahead of Fort Lauderdale, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

165,521

6,211,223

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.6 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Fort Lauderdale, FL Rio de Janeiro 6,750 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Fort Lauderdale, FL
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

Fort Lauderdale, FL vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Lauderdale, FL costs about 180% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,388 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $1,927 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 $1,008 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $603 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 113% more in Fort Lauderdale, FL, 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 $1,285, than in Fort Lauderdale, FL at $3,592. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Lauderdale, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rio de Janeiro costs $1,285 versus $3,592 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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