Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport News, VA and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,738 in Newport News, VA, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Newport News, VA
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Newport News, VA Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
Learn more

Rio de Janeiro Living Index

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Newport News, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,738

/mo nomad

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,289

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,738 in Newport News, VA versus $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro.

Newport News, VA $2,738
Rio de Janeiro $1,289

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,798 in Newport News, VA versus $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro.

Newport News, VA $3,798
Rio de Janeiro $1,868

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,858 in Newport News, VA versus $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro.

Newport News, VA $4,858
Rio de Janeiro $2,448

Living in Newport News, VA is roughly 113% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Newport News, VA is 103% above, Rio de Janeiro is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.29 $28.29

$10.06 R$51.0

181.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$40.44 R$205

50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.44 $10.44

$8.55 R$43.35

22.11%

Cappuccino

$6.17 $6.17

$2.38 R$12.04

159.24%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$1.61 R$8.18

62.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.03 R$5.22

99.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$2.47 R$12.54

219.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$3.70 R$18.77

110.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.19 R$6.05

-20.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.05 R$10.38

72.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.28 R$6.49

162.50%

Eggs

$2.86 $2.86

$2.29 R$11.60

24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.51 $7.51

$10.76 R$54.5

-30.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.13 $11.13

$4.41 R$22.36

152.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.66 $18.66

$9.84 R$49.86

89.63%

Apples (1kg)

$6.95 $6.95

$2.81 R$14.25

147.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.78 R$9.03

-41.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$1.60 R$8.13

208.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.80 R$9.11

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.22 R$6.17

118.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.04 R$5.26

200.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.77 R$3.92

162.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$0.67 R$3.38

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.74 $7.74

$3.01 R$15.27

157.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.06 $16.06

$8.08 R$40.94

98.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.19 R$6.03

47.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.51 R$12.73

123.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.91 $2.91

$0.99 R$5.00

193.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.13 $40.13

$50.1 R$254

-19.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.22 R$6.20

219.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.32 $1.32

$0.92 R$4.66

43.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.22 $25.22

$8.97 R$45.45

181.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.30 R$6.57

-24.62%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$23.9K R$121.0K

54.95%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$32.9K R$166.6K

-19.95%

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

$209 $209

$133 R$676

56.83%

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

$79.9 $79.9

$10.82 R$54.8

638.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.8 $78.8

$22.90 R$116

244.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.56 $39.56

$30.79 R$156

28.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.85 R$161

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 $13.31

$8.05 R$40.83

65.34%

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

$3,164 $3,164

$598 R$3,029

429.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K $40.7K

$13.4K R$68.0K

203.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 $54.1

$42.04 R$213

28.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.64 $44.64

$49.68 R$252

-10.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$74.5 R$378

37.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$68.7 R$348

80.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,407 $1,407

$903 R$4,578

55.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$529 R$2,684

145.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,324 $2,324

$1,326 R$6,724

75.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 $1,792

$756 R$3,831

137.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,245 $2,245

$4,010 R$20.3K

-44.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,236 $2,236

$1,560 R$7,910

43.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,938 $3,938

$640 R$3,242

515.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.93

-45.18%

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

Last update for Newport News, VA: 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

Newport News, VA

$1.3K 47.5%

Rio de Janeiro

$529 41.1% 59.2% $770

Eating Out

Newport News, VA

$405 14.8%

Rio de Janeiro

$165 12.8% 59.3% $240

Groceries & Markets

Newport News, VA

$391 14.3%

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7% 45.2% $177

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newport News, VA

$368 13.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$167 13% 54.6% $201

Clothing & Footwear

Newport News, VA

$146 5.3%

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2% 27.7% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Newport News, VA

$66 2.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$47 3.6% 29.1% $19

Getting Around

Newport News, VA

$62 2.3%

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7% 3.9% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,407 in Newport News, VA and $903 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newport News, VA pays 516% 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: $61.0 in Newport News, VA vs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $215 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newport News, VA

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🕒 Local time

13:01 1:01 PM

14:01 2:01 PM

1 h ahead of Newport News, VA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

186,247

6,211,223

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 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).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Newport News, VA Rio de Janeiro 7,510 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Newport News, VA
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

Newport News, VA vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newport News, VA and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($2,738 vs $1,289 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 516% higher in Newport News, VA, 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: $1,407 in Newport News, VA versus $903 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,738 per month in Newport News, VA versus $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rio de Janeiro runs roughly 25% less than in Newport News, VA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,738 in Newport News, VA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Newport News, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro 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.

Expats usually find Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Newport News, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.