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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $867 in Manaus versus $953 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,347 in Manaus versus $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,828 in Manaus versus $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Manaus costs roughly 9% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manaus 35% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 R$26.73

$7.03 R$35.08

-23.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.32 R$126

$35.78 R$179

-29.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 R$31.29

$6.24 R$31.16

0.48%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R$10.15

$1.99 R$9.93

2.01%

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

$1.00 R$5.01

$1.34 R$6.67

-25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 R$3.56

$0.84 R$4.19

-15.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 R$12.38

$1.78 R$8.88

39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 R$24.37

$2.67 R$13.31

82.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.27

$1.11 R$5.56

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 R$7.02

$1.77 R$8.84

-20.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.75

$1.49 R$7.42

-22.82%

Eggs

$2.03 R$10.13

$1.93 R$9.62

5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 R$48.53

$8.11 R$40.47

19.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 R$18.31

$3.55 R$17.71

3.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.60 R$32.91

$8.25 R$41.17

-20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 R$10.70

$2.32 R$11.58

-7.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.58

$1.63 R$8.13

-6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$1.44 R$7.19

-10.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.08

$1.55 R$7.73

17.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.91

$1.23 R$6.15

-4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.67

$1.15 R$5.76

-0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.47

$0.69 R$3.45

1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.20

$0.58 R$2.87

10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 R$17.64

$1.99 R$9.93

77.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 R$44.81

$8.05 R$40.18

11.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.79

$1.25 R$6.26

8.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 R$10.42

$2.03 R$10.14

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$3.93

$1.23 R$6.13

-35.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.32 R$176

$39.49 R$197

-10.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.69

$1.07 R$5.33

-12.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.34

$0.69 R$3.46

-2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.87 R$44.28

$7.53 R$37.60

17.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R$6.00

$1.10 R$5.50

9.09%

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

$19.7K R$98.5K

$20.2K R$100.6K

-2.01%

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

$22.7K R$113.1K

$27.2K R$135.7K

-16.69%

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

$106 R$531

$104 R$519

2.19%

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

$14.15 R$70.6

$11.99 R$59.8

18.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.95 R$115

$18.48 R$92.2

24.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.09 R$115

$26.17 R$131

-11.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.24 R$116

$24.31 R$121

-4.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 R$29.99

$6.43 R$32.07

-6.53%

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

$202 R$1,009

$553 R$2,761

-63.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,758 R$23.7K

$11.5K R$57.3K

-58.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.65 R$228

$44.53 R$222

2.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.97 R$145

$41.97 R$209

-30.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.2 R$270

$76.5 R$382

-29.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.3 R$316

$61.2 R$305

3.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 R$1,957

$429 R$2,143

-8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 R$1,188

$324 R$1,618

-26.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 R$3,324

$835 R$4,165

-20.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 R$2,461

$580 R$2,894

-14.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,761 R$8,789

$2,964 R$14.8K

-40.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,310 R$6,538

$1,333 R$6,650

-1.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$529 R$2,639

$535 R$2,671

-1.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.83

11.33

-13.24%

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

Last update for Manaus: April 25, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Manaus and $429 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Manaus vs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $186 per month, with Manaus cheaper across the board.

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

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

Manaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Rio de Janeiro earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $392 in Manaus versus $429 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Manaus gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Manaus is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Janeiro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Manaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.