Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hays, KS and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,273 a month against $1,737 in Hays, KS, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

85

Cost of Living Index in Hays, KS
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Hays, KS Living Index
62

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

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Hays, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,737

/mo nomad

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,273

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,737 per month in Hays, KS vs $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Hays, KS $1,737
Rio de Janeiro $1,273

A couple spends around $2,467 per month in Hays, KS vs $1,841 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Hays, KS $2,467
Rio de Janeiro $1,841

A family of three spends $3,198 per month in Hays, KS vs $2,409 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Hays, KS $3,198
Rio de Janeiro $2,409

Hays, KS costs about 36% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Hays, KS sits 28% above the global median, while Rio de Janeiro is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.33 $13.33

$9.38 R$47.54

42.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.87 $43.87

$40.00 R$203

9.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 $8.11

$8.34 R$42.28

-2.76%

Cappuccino

$3.98 $3.98

$2.29 R$11.62

73.80%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.59 R$8.05

50.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.01 R$5.10

0.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.14 R$10.85

79.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.66 R$18.55

18.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.13 R$5.72

-32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.09 R$10.60

8.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.25 R$6.36

256.80%

Eggs

$2.06 $2.06

$2.25 R$11.39

-8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$10.92 R$55.3

-59.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 $8.93

$4.36 R$22.10

104.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 $13.33

$9.60 R$48.66

38.85%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$2.85 R$14.46

111.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.81 R$9.16

-9.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$1.58 R$8.02

220.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.83 R$9.28

141.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.20 R$6.10

144.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.06 R$5.35

104.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.75 R$3.81

162.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.68 R$3.45

198.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.68 $9.68

$2.94 R$14.90

229.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$7.98 R$40.43

52.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.18 R$5.98

88.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.42 R$12.26

59.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.94 R$4.78

113.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 R$255

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.20 R$6.10

102.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.83 R$4.20

89.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.71 $39.71

$8.97 R$45.48

342.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.29 R$6.53

-28.68%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$22.8K R$115.5K

23.26%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$34.0K R$172.1K

-23.58%

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

$269 $269

$134 R$681

100.03%

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

$34.85 $34.85

$10.73 R$54.4

224.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$22.84 R$116

201.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.17 $45.17

$30.16 R$153

49.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.49 R$160

Cinema Ticket

$15.21 $15.21

$7.73 R$39.17

96.77%

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

$922 $922

$584 R$2,960

57.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$12.8K R$64.9K

22.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.68 $23.68

$41.12 R$208

-42.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 $31.82

$49.26 R$250

-35.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$73.7 R$373

48.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$65.9 R$334

109.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$793 $793

$900 R$4,561

-11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 $589

$527 R$2,673

11.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,034 $1,034

$1,332 R$6,754

-22.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$895 $895

$748 R$3,790

19.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,386 $2,386

$3,990 R$20.2K

-40.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,615 $2,615

$1,560 R$7,908

67.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 $2,386

$640 R$3,246

272.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

11.93

-44.26%

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

Last update for Hays, KS: 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

Hays, KS

$589 33.9%

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41.4% 10.5% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hays, KS

$372 21.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.2% 54.9% $204

Groceries & Markets

Hays, KS

$325 18.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$214 16.8% 34.3% $112

Eating Out

Hays, KS

$220 12.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$156 12.3% 29.2% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Hays, KS

$136 7.9%

Rio de Janeiro

$103 8.1% 24.1% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Hays, KS

$76 4.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$46 3.6% 39.7% $30

Getting Around

Hays, KS

$18 * 1.1%

Rio de Janeiro

$59 4.7% 225% $41

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $793 in Hays, KS 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 273% higher in Hays, KS, 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 $44.00 in Hays, KS versus $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $214 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hays, KS

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🕒 Local time

10:05 10:05 AM

12:05 12:05 PM

2 h ahead of Hays, KS

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,726

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 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).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Hays, KS Rio de Janeiro 9,010 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Hays, KS
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

Hays, KS vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hays, KS is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,605 per month in Hays, KS 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Hays, KS and $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Hays, KS, 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 Hays, KS at $1,737. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hays, KS 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, Hays, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.