Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulo Afonso and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulo Afonso and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $838 per month in Paulo Afonso vs $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,340 per month in Paulo Afonso vs $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Paulo Afonso vs $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Paulo Afonso is about 30% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Paulo Afonso and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Paulo Afonso 39% lower, Rio de Janeiro 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 R$26.27

$8.50 R$43.57

-39.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.04 R$139

$38.02 R$195

-28.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 R$38.35

$7.62 R$39.04

-1.84%

Cappuccino

$1.95 R$10.01

$2.24 R$11.49

-12.95%

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

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.56 R$7.97

-16.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.47

$1.04 R$5.32

-16.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.29

$2.27 R$11.63

-20.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 R$15.55

$3.31 R$16.94

-8.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.14

$1.11 R$5.68

-9.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.76

$1.96 R$10.04

-12.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.05

$1.33 R$6.80

-11.28%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$2.22 R$11.37

9.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 R$46.25

$10.35 R$53.1

-12.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 R$21.32

$4.32 R$22.15

-3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 R$41.40

$9.42 R$48.28

-14.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R$11.53

$2.64 R$13.52

-14.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.19

$1.72 R$8.83

-29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.04

$1.52 R$7.80

-22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.59

$1.79 R$9.16

-17.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.80

$1.23 R$6.28

-8.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.76

$1.03 R$5.30

-9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.91

$0.70 R$3.58

8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.63 R$3.23

25.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 R$12.16

$2.91 R$14.90

-18.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 R$39.18

$7.84 R$40.16

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.25

$1.10 R$5.65

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 R$10.79

$2.56 R$13.11

-17.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.73

$1.00 R$5.11

-8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.00 R$241

$48.98 R$251

-4.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.58

$1.19 R$6.09

-8.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.88 R$4.49

9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 R$38.44

$8.97 R$45.98

-16.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.26 R$6.45

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

$21.9K R$112.4K

$23.3K R$119.7K

-6.10%

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

$32.6K R$167.0K

$32.2K R$165.2K

1.14%

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

$71.7 R$367

$132 R$675

-45.59%

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

$11.10 R$56.9

$10.95 R$56.1

1.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.60 R$106

$21.95 R$112

-6.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.33 R$130

$28.50 R$146

-11.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.57 R$141

$30.26 R$155

-8.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 R$36.14

$7.80 R$39.99

-9.62%

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

$249 R$1,274

$538 R$2,757

-53.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,292 R$32.2K

$12.8K R$65.6K

-50.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 R$270

$40.62 R$208

29.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.45 R$248

$46.36 R$238

4.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 R$461

$69.7 R$357

29.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 R$359

$64.6 R$331

8.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 R$1,749

$828 R$4,243

-58.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 R$1,189

$467 R$2,396

-50.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 R$3,349

$1,264 R$6,476

-48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 R$2,324

$723 R$3,705

-37.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,801 R$9,231

$4,042 R$20.7K

-55.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,010 R$5,175

$1,511 R$7,745

-33.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 R$1,177

$613 R$3,142

-62.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

11.93

-6.79%

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

Last update for Paulo Afonso: August 31, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Paulo Afonso versus $828 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 167% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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 $27.00 in Paulo Afonso versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $207 – making Paulo Afonso the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Rio de Janeiro costs about 44% more than Paulo Afonso, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,257 per month in Paulo Afonso and $1,807 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 Paulo Afonso, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $838 in Paulo Afonso and $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Paulo Afonso. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paulo Afonso, where all-in costs run around $838, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,205. In Paulo Afonso it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Paulo Afonso costs $838 versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Paulo Afonso. 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.