Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Memphis, TN and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,285 a month against $2,484 in Memphis, TN, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

121

Cost of Living Index in Memphis, TN
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Memphis, TN Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
Learn more

Rio de Janeiro Living Index

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Memphis, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,484

/mo nomad

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,285

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,484 per month in Memphis, TN vs $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Memphis, TN $2,484
Rio de Janeiro $1,285

A couple spends around $3,630 per month in Memphis, TN vs $1,888 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Memphis, TN $3,630
Rio de Janeiro $1,888

A family of three spends $4,775 per month in Memphis, TN vs $2,491 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Memphis, TN $4,775
Rio de Janeiro $2,491

Memphis, TN costs about 93% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Memphis, TN sits 85% above the global median, while Rio de Janeiro is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.83 $17.83

$9.98 R$49.83

78.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.9 $74.9

$40.34 R$201

85.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$8.48 R$42.35

42.69%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$2.36 R$11.80

135.59%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$1.63 R$8.13

46.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.01 R$5.06

95.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 $7.18

$2.44 R$12.19

194.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.23 $8.23

$3.69 R$18.43

123.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.15 R$5.72

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.07 R$10.34

51.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.29 R$6.42

210.85%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$2.27 R$11.32

66.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.45 $13.45

$11.00 R$54.9

22.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 $11.36

$4.31 R$21.51

163.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.44 $19.44

$9.74 R$48.63

99.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$2.83 R$14.12

102.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.84 R$9.17

-3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$1.60 R$7.96

275.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.80 R$9.00

168.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.26 R$6.28

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$1.07 R$5.34

290.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.75 R$3.75

241.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.66 R$3.29

222.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 $10.63

$3.05 R$15.21

248.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 $12.87

$8.18 R$40.84

57.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.19 R$5.92

50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.39 R$11.92

-31.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.01 R$5.06

-3.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.19 $39.19

$50.2 R$250

-21.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.27 R$6.33

52.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.90 R$4.51

56.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.61 $19.61

$9.44 R$47.13

107.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.33 R$6.65

-25.56%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$23.4K R$117.0K

59.77%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$33.6K R$167.6K

-20.20%

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

$186 $186

$134 R$666

39.41%

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

$86.8 $86.8

$12.23 R$61.0

609.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$22.65 R$113

236.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.38 $31.38

$31.56 R$158

-0.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.72 $16.72

$30.87 R$154

-45.84%

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 $15.15

$8.23 R$41.07

84.08%

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

$1,722 $1,722

$603 R$3,011

185.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$13.2K R$66.1K

88.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.26 $47.26

$41.62 R$208

13.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.34 $33.34

$49.94 R$249

-33.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 $82.7

$75.0 R$375

10.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$152 $152

$68.3 R$341

122.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 $1,495

$905 R$4,519

65.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 $1,157

$527 R$2,633

119.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,080 $2,080

$1,346 R$6,720

54.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 $1,884

$774 R$3,865

143.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,781 $1,781

$3,981 R$19.9K

-55.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 $1,364

$1,562 R$7,798

-12.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,648 $3,648

$643 R$3,210

467.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

11.93

-44.68%

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

Last update for Memphis, TN: October 6, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Memphis, TN

$1.2K 46.6%

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41% 54.4% $630

Groceries & Markets

Memphis, TN

$406 16.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7% 47.2% $192

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Memphis, TN

$349 14.1%

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.1% 51.8% $181

Eating Out

Memphis, TN

$316 12.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$164 12.7% 48.1% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Memphis, TN

$142 5.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2% 25.6% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Memphis, TN

$62 2.5%

Rio de Janeiro

$48 3.7% 22.1% $14

Getting Around

Memphis, TN

$52 2.1%

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7% 15.2% $7.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,495 in Memphis, TN versus $905 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 467% higher in Memphis, TN, 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 $75.0 in Memphis, TN versus $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $215 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Memphis, TN

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🕒 Local time

03:47 3:47 AM

05:47 5:47 AM

2 h ahead of Memphis, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

633,104

6,211,223

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.6 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Memphis, TN Rio de Janeiro 8,130 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Memphis, TN
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

Memphis, TN vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,484 in Memphis, TN, $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro – roughly 93% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,726 per month in Memphis, TN and $1,927 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.

Public transport costs about 28% less in Rio de Janeiro. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,722 per month in Memphis, TN and $603 in Rio de Janeiro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,285, than in Memphis, TN at $2,484. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Memphis, TN 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 $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro to $2,484 in Memphis, TN. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Rio de Janeiro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Memphis, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.