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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $673 per month in Itu vs $948 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,245 per month in Itu vs $1,487 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,817 per month in Itu vs $2,026 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Itu is about 29% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Itu and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Itu 50% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 R$26.10

$7.03 R$34.89

-25.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.39 R$166

$35.46 R$176

-5.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 R$28.33

$6.19 R$30.72

-7.75%

Cappuccino

$1.67 R$8.28

$2.00 R$9.90

-16.50%

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

$0.70 R$3.45

$1.29 R$6.39

-45.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.31

$0.90 R$4.45

-47.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.03

$1.76 R$8.74

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 R$16.79

$2.63 R$13.06

28.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.06

$1.13 R$5.60

-9.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 R$6.84

$1.69 R$8.38

-18.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.47

$1.42 R$7.02

-8.45%

Eggs

$2.31 R$11.48

$1.92 R$9.54

20.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 R$40.03

$7.79 R$38.65

3.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 R$17.45

$3.63 R$18.02

-3.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.24 R$25.99

$7.99 R$39.64

-34.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.85

$2.33 R$11.58

-32.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$1.60 R$7.95

-19.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 R$3.43

$1.46 R$7.23

-52.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.52

$1.57 R$7.78

-3.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.31

$1.25 R$6.18

-30.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.45

$1.16 R$5.75

-5.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.69 R$3.43

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 R$2.29

$0.62 R$3.07

-25.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 R$13.06

$1.97 R$9.75

33.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 R$29.91

$7.90 R$39.20

-23.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R$6.84

$1.27 R$6.32

8.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R$13.65

$2.12 R$10.50

29.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.68

$1.28 R$6.37

-26.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.02 R$189

$38.38 R$190

-0.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 R$4.57

$1.11 R$5.53

-17.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 R$4.42

$0.71 R$3.53

25.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.49 R$42.12

$7.79 R$38.63

8.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 R$4.53

$1.06 R$5.28

-14.15%

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

$22.5K R$111.8K

$20.9K R$103.8K

7.73%

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

$25.3K R$125.4K

$27.9K R$138.3K

-9.33%

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

$46.58 R$231

$103 R$512

-54.90%

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

$10.76 R$53.4

$12.22 R$60.6

-11.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.50 R$76.9

$18.82 R$93.4

-17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.63 R$112

$25.63 R$127

-11.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.35 R$106

$24.19 R$120

-11.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 R$21.95

$6.38 R$31.66

-30.56%

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

$311 R$1,543

$551 R$2,733

-43.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,849 R$34.0K

$11.7K R$58.0K

-41.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.51 R$221

$45.89 R$228

-3.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.42 R$181

$41.16 R$204

-11.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 R$308

$76.5 R$379

-18.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.23 R$224

$60.8 R$301

-25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 R$1,407

$433 R$2,150

-34.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 R$889

$336 R$1,665

-46.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 R$3,528

$853 R$4,229

-16.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 R$2,968

$589 R$2,920

1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 R$8,422

$2,926 R$14.5K

-41.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 R$5,870

$1,342 R$6,655

-11.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$295 R$1,465

$545 R$2,702

-45.78%

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 Itu: April 20, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $284 in Itu versus $433 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 84% 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 in Itu versus $35 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $160 vs $185 – making Itu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $673 in Itu, $948 in Rio de Janeiro – roughly 41% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,009 per month in Itu and $1,422 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 Itu, 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 Itu and $35.00 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 $673 in Itu and $948 in Rio de Janeiro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $673 in Itu and $948 in Rio de Janeiro, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $673 in Itu to $948 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Itu. 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.