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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $679 per month in Ilheus vs $960 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,111 per month in Ilheus vs $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,542 per month in Ilheus vs $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Ilheus is about 29% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ilheus and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Ilheus 49% lower, Rio de Janeiro 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 R$19.71

$7.20 R$37.09

-46.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.18 R$140

$35.52 R$183

-23.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$32.16

$6.44 R$33.20

-3.11%

Cappuccino

$1.80 R$9.29

$1.97 R$10.17

-8.63%

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

$1.09 R$5.60

$1.27 R$6.56

-14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.23

$0.90 R$4.62

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.54

$1.76 R$9.09

5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 R$14.31

$2.68 R$13.83

3.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.87

$1.16 R$5.99

-18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 R$7.49

$1.70 R$8.75

-14.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.85

$1.41 R$7.27

-19.86%

Eggs

$1.97 R$10.13

$2.00 R$10.29

-1.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.04 R$87.8

$8.05 R$41.45

111.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 R$18.22

$3.62 R$18.64

-2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.00 R$36.07

$8.20 R$42.25

-14.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 R$11.13

$2.40 R$12.35

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.58 R$8.14

-17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.18

$1.49 R$7.70

-19.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.41

$1.56 R$8.04

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.85

$1.30 R$6.72

-12.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.68

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.78

$0.68 R$3.52

7.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.41

$0.58 R$2.98

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 R$11.02

$1.95 R$10.04

9.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.51 R$38.70

$8.73 R$44.97

-13.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.21 R$6.26

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 R$10.20

$2.15 R$11.09

-7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.76

$1.23 R$6.34

-25.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 R$197

$39.30 R$202

-2.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.47

$1.11 R$5.73

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.92

$0.71 R$3.67

7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.41 R$33.03

$7.37 R$37.98

-13.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.32

$1.07 R$5.52

-3.74%

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

$20.8K R$107.3K

$20.4K R$104.9K

2.29%

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

$27.2K R$140.3K

$27.1K R$139.6K

0.56%

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

$61.3 R$316

$104 R$535

-40.94%

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

$13.61 R$70.1

$12.18 R$62.8

11.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.15 R$98.6

$18.70 R$96.3

2.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.78 R$117

$25.68 R$132

-11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.49 R$111

$24.37 R$126

-11.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 R$32.33

$6.60 R$34.02

-4.85%

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

$269 R$1,383

$542 R$2,791

-50.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,548 R$33.7K

$11.8K R$60.8K

-44.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.39 R$254

$44.23 R$228

11.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.31 R$213

$41.91 R$216

-1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 R$388

$76.8 R$396

-1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 R$328

$62.0 R$319

2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 R$843

$438 R$2,258

-62.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 R$600

$331 R$1,703

-64.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 R$1,608

$838 R$4,319

-62.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 R$1,173

$569 R$2,933

-59.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,610 R$8,291

$3,356 R$17.3K

-52.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,164 R$5,996

$1,389 R$7,154

-16.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 R$3,070

$548 R$2,823

8.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.33

-3.62%

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

Last update for Ilheus: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $164 in Ilheus 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 9% higher in Ilheus, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Ilheus versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Ilheus 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $679 in Ilheus, $960 in Rio de Janeiro – roughly 41% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,019 per month in Ilheus 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 Ilheus, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Ilheus and $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ilheus, where all-in costs run around $679, than in Rio de Janeiro at $960. In Ilheus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $679 in Ilheus to $960 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ilheus. 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.