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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $802 per month in Guarulhos vs $960 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,298 per month in Guarulhos vs $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,793 per month in Guarulhos vs $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Guarulhos is about 16% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Guarulhos and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Guarulhos 40% lower, Rio de Janeiro 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 R$35.80

$7.20 R$36.03

-0.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.78 R$164

$35.52 R$178

-7.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 R$34.56

$6.44 R$32.25

7.30%

Cappuccino

$1.74 R$8.69

$1.97 R$9.88

-11.68%

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

$1.21 R$6.08

$1.27 R$6.38

-4.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 R$4.43

$0.90 R$4.49

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 R$10.69

$1.76 R$8.83

21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R$14.25

$2.68 R$13.43

6.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.10

$1.16 R$5.82

-12.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 R$8.76

$1.70 R$8.50

2.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.75

$1.41 R$7.07

-18.44%

Eggs

$2.40 R$12.03

$2.00 R$10.00

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 R$51.7

$8.05 R$40.27

28.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 R$20.06

$3.62 R$18.11

10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.37 R$41.90

$8.20 R$41.04

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R$10.73

$2.40 R$12.00

-10.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.28

$1.58 R$7.91

4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 R$6.93

$1.49 R$7.48

-6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.40

$1.56 R$7.81

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.87

$1.30 R$6.53

5.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.46

$1.10 R$5.52

17.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 R$4.68

$0.68 R$3.42

36.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.45

$0.58 R$2.90

18.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 R$10.52

$1.95 R$9.75

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 R$49.79

$8.73 R$43.69

13.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.50

$1.21 R$6.08

7.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R$11.11

$2.15 R$10.77

3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 R$5.12

$1.23 R$6.16

-17.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.02 R$190

$39.30 R$197

-3.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.28

$1.11 R$5.57

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 R$3.14

$0.71 R$3.57

-11.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 R$38.68

$7.37 R$36.90

4.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.31

$1.07 R$5.37

-0.93%

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

$21.5K R$107.5K

$20.4K R$101.9K

5.50%

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

$28.1K R$140.6K

$27.1K R$135.6K

3.69%

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

$52.3 R$262

$104 R$519

-49.63%

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

$13.10 R$65.6

$12.18 R$61.0

7.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.90 R$99.6

$18.70 R$93.6

6.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.02 R$70.1

$25.68 R$128

-45.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.73 R$109

$24.37 R$122

-10.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 R$35.19

$6.60 R$33.05

6.52%

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

$333 R$1,665

$542 R$2,712

-38.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,817 R$44.1K

$11.8K R$59.1K

-25.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 R$260

$44.23 R$221

17.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 R$211

$41.91 R$210

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 R$375

$76.8 R$385

-2.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.5 R$368

$62.0 R$310

18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,585

$438 R$2,194

-27.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 R$1,080

$331 R$1,654

-34.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 R$2,955

$838 R$4,196

-29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 R$2,135

$569 R$2,849

-25.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,938 R$9,699

$3,356 R$16.8K

-42.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,325 R$6,632

$1,389 R$6,950

-4.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$368 R$1,842

$548 R$2,743

-32.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.17

11.33

-1.41%

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

Last update for Guarulhos: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Guarulhos versus $438 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 49% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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 $33.00 in Guarulhos versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Guarulhos vs $188 in Rio de Janeiro – so Rio de Janeiro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Rio de Janeiro costs about 20% more than Guarulhos, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,203 per month in Guarulhos and $1,440 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 Guarulhos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Guarulhos and $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $802 in Guarulhos and $960 in Rio de Janeiro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guarulhos, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Rio de Janeiro at $960. In Guarulhos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Guarulhos costs $802 versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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