Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Tablas and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Las Tablas
🇵🇦 Panama
$458
/mo nomad
Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,289
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $458 per month in Las Tablas vs $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • Las Tablas $458
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,289

A couple spends around $680 per month in Las Tablas vs $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • Las Tablas $680
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,868

A family of three spends $902 per month in Las Tablas vs $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

  • Las Tablas $902
  • Rio de Janeiro $2,448

Las Tablas is about 64% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Las Tablas and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Las Tablas 66% lower, Rio de Janeiro 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.99 PAB 9.99
$10.06 R$51.0
-0.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.72 PAB 29.72
$40.44 R$205
-26.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.34 PAB 8.34
$8.55 R$43.35
-2.46%
Cappuccino
-
$2.38 R$12.04
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 PAB 0.99
$1.61 R$8.18
-38.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 PAB 1.03
$1.03 R$5.22
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.24 PAB 1.24
$2.47 R$12.54
-49.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 PAB 2.69
$3.70 R$18.77
-27.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.19 R$6.05
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.93 PAB 1.93
$2.05 R$10.38
-5.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
-
$1.28 R$6.49
-
Eggs
$2.11 PAB 2.11
$2.29 R$11.60
-7.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$10.76 R$54.5
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$4.41 R$22.36
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$9.84 R$49.86
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.34 PAB 4.34
$2.81 R$14.25
54.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 PAB 1.26
$1.78 R$9.03
-29.21%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$1.60 R$8.13
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 PAB 1.55
$1.80 R$9.11
-13.89%
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.22 R$6.17
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.04 R$5.26
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 PAB 1.24
$0.77 R$3.92
61.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 PAB 1.03
$0.67 R$3.38
53.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.01 R$15.27
-
Wine (Bottle)
$5.68 PAB 5.68
$8.08 R$40.94
-29.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.31 PAB 1.31
$1.19 R$6.03
10.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 PAB 1.72
$2.51 R$12.73
-31.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.99 R$5.00
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$50.1 R$254
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.99 PAB 0.99
$1.22 R$6.20
-18.85%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.92 R$4.66
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.97 R$45.45
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 PAB 0.89
$1.30 R$6.57
-31.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$23.9K R$121.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$32.9K R$166.6K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 PAB 149
$133 R$676
11.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.86 PAB 22.86
$10.82 R$54.8
111.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.04 PAB 37.04
$22.90 R$116
61.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.94 PAB 19.94
$30.79 R$156
-35.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$31.85 R$161
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$8.05 R$40.83
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$598 R$3,029
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$13.4K R$68.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$42.04 R$213
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$49.68 R$252
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$74.5 R$378
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$68.7 R$348
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$903 R$4,578
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$529 R$2,684
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,326 R$6,724
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$756 R$3,831
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,010 R$20.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,560 R$7,910
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Las Tablas
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$640 R$3,242
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.93
-

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

Last update for Las Tablas: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Las Tablas
–
Rio de Janeiro
$529
Groceries & Markets
Las Tablas
–
Rio de Janeiro
$215
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Las Tablas
–
Rio de Janeiro
$167
Eating Out
Las Tablas
–
Rio de Janeiro
$165
Clothing & Footwear
Las Tablas
–
Rio de Janeiro
$106
Getting Around
Las Tablas
–
Rio de Janeiro
$60
Sport & Entertainment
Las Tablas
–
Rio de Janeiro
$47

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Las Tablas versus $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $215 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇦 Las Tablas
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🕒 Local time
07:40 7:40 AM
09:40 9:40 AM
2 h ahead of Las Tablas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,939
6,211,223
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Las Tablas Rio de Janeiro 5,280 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Las Tablas
  • 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
Las Tablas vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Las Tablas or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro costs about 182% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Las Tablas and in Rio de Janeiro?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $687 per month in Las Tablas and $1,933 in Rio de Janeiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Las Tablas compared to Rio de Janeiro?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $458 in Las Tablas and $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro. That's a gap of about 182%.
Are groceries more expensive in Las Tablas or in Rio de Janeiro?
Groceries cost about 108% more in Rio de Janeiro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Las Tablas or in Rio de Janeiro?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,289. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Las Tablas or Rio de Janeiro?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Tablas costs $458 versus $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Las Tablas compared to Rio de Janeiro?
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.
Should I move to Las Tablas or to Rio de Janeiro?
If budget matters most, go with Las Tablas. 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.

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