Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Ratchasima and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Nakhon Ratchasima and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $767 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $946 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,488 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,752 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $2,030 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Nakhon Ratchasima costs roughly 19% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nakhon Ratchasima 42% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿102

$7.30 R$37.35

-58.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.96 ฿902

$36.46 R$187

-26.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 ฿217

$6.46 R$33.04

0.31%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ฿69.2

$1.90 R$9.72

8.95%

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

$0.59 ฿19.70

$1.29 R$6.59

-54.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.48

$0.87 R$4.44

-57.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 ฿62.5

$1.75 R$8.94

6.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ฿82.7

$2.73 R$13.99

-9.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ฿55.1

$1.12 R$5.75

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ฿43.47

$1.70 R$8.72

-23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿42.14

$1.49 R$7.62

-15.44%

Eggs

$1.50 ฿50.1

$1.95 R$9.96

-23.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.41 ฿515

$7.78 R$39.81

98.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ฿109

$3.57 R$18.26

-8.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.26 ฿377

$7.87 R$40.28

43.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿108

$2.43 R$12.43

32.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.64

$1.63 R$8.35

-18.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿63.4

$1.47 R$7.50

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ฿46.62

$1.55 R$7.92

-10.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.24

$1.23 R$6.31

19.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.88

$1.11 R$5.70

9.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ฿45.36

$0.69 R$3.52

97.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ฿12.79

$0.60 R$3.09

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 ฿100

$1.97 R$10.07

52.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 ฿605

$7.74 R$39.62

133.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿58.7

$1.22 R$6.22

43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ฿76.3

$2.08 R$10.64

9.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ฿15.83

$1.24 R$6.34

-62.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.14 ฿674

$38.87 R$199

-48.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 ฿36.69

$1.12 R$5.75

-1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ฿43.03

$0.65 R$3.33

98.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.48 ฿250

$7.40 R$37.88

1.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿40.17

$1.06 R$5.41

13.21%

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

$82.4K ฿2.8M

$20.3K R$103.7K

306.74%

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

$26.9K ฿899.6K

$28.1K R$143.7K

-4.24%

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

$78.9 ฿2,638

$101 R$518

-22.04%

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

$13.63 ฿456

$12.30 R$62.9

10.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.64 ฿623

$18.55 R$94.9

0.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.16 ฿1,644

$25.98 R$133

89.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.66 ฿524

$24.16 R$124

-35.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.85 ฿162

$6.52 R$33.36

-25.61%

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

$188 ฿6,295

$539 R$2,760

-65.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,283 ฿310.5K

$11.7K R$59.7K

-20.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.46 ฿985

$45.01 R$230

-34.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.96 ฿668

$41.43 R$212

-51.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ฿2,635

$76.3 R$390

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.30 ฿1,448

$61.6 R$315

-29.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 ฿7,246

$434 R$2,221

-50.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$161 ฿5,401

$324 R$1,660

-50.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 ฿17.0K

$846 R$4,330

-40.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 ฿14.6K

$567 R$2,903

-22.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,294 ฿110.2K

$3,721 R$19.0K

-11.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,693 ฿56.6K

$1,481 R$7,580

14.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ฿20.2K

$600 R$3,068

0.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.1

11.33

-54.99%

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

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $217 in Nakhon Ratchasima and $434 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nakhon Ratchasima pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima vs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $184, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Nakhon Ratchasima and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($767 vs $946 including rent). Nakhon Ratchasima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Nakhon Ratchasima, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $217 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $434 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Rio de Janeiro pay roughly 31% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $767 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $946 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Ratchasima but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Ratchasima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nakhon Ratchasima and Rio de Janeiro are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nakhon Ratchasima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.