Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Raleigh, NC and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,285 a month against $2,666 in Raleigh, NC, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Raleigh, NC
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Raleigh, NC Living Index
63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index

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Raleigh, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,666

/mo nomad

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,285

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,666 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $2,666
Rio de Janeiro $1,285

A couple spends around $3,913 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $1,888 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $3,913
Rio de Janeiro $1,888

A family of three spends $5,159 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $2,491 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $5,159
Rio de Janeiro $2,491

Raleigh, NC costs about 107% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Raleigh, NC sits 99% above the global median, while Rio de Janeiro is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.68 $23.68

$9.98 R$49.83

137.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.9 $98.9

$40.34 R$201

145.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$8.48 R$42.35

28.77%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$2.36 R$11.80

145.76%

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

$2.88 $2.88

$1.63 R$8.13

76.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.01 R$5.06

118.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$2.44 R$12.19

149.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$3.69 R$18.43

92.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.15 R$5.72

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.07 R$10.34

85.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.29 R$6.42

140.31%

Eggs

$4.70 $4.70

$2.27 R$11.32

107.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$11.00 R$54.9

38.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.82 $9.82

$4.31 R$21.51

127.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.08 $18.08

$9.74 R$48.63

85.63%

Apples (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$2.83 R$14.12

131.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.84 R$9.17

-32.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.60 R$7.96

186.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$1.80 R$9.00

227.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.26 R$6.28

138.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.07 R$5.34

241.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.75 R$3.75

177.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.66 R$3.29

237.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.60 $9.60

$3.05 R$15.21

214.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$8.18 R$40.84

82.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.19 R$5.92

86.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.39 R$11.92

14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.01 R$5.06

37.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 $40.65

$50.2 R$250

-18.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.27 R$6.33

135.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.90 R$4.51

115.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.35 $18.35

$9.44 R$47.13

94.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.33 R$6.65

-27.07%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$23.4K R$117.0K

54.78%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$33.6K R$167.6K

-25.57%

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

$193 $193

$134 R$666

44.44%

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

$57.0 $57.0

$12.23 R$61.0

365.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$22.65 R$113

196.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.25 $36.25

$31.56 R$158

14.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.10 $5.10

$30.87 R$154

-83.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$8.23 R$41.07

85.66%

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

$1,463 $1,463

$603 R$3,011

142.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$13.2K R$66.1K

82.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 $53.5

$41.62 R$208

28.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 $58.9

$49.94 R$249

17.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$75.0 R$375

23.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$68.3 R$341

107.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,750 $1,750

$905 R$4,519

93.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,298 $1,298

$527 R$2,633

146.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,055 $3,055

$1,346 R$6,720

126.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 $2,028

$774 R$3,865

161.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,971 $3,971

$3,981 R$19.9K

-0.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 $2,149

$1,562 R$7,798

37.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,299 $4,299

$643 R$3,210

568.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

11.93

-44.59%

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

Last update for Raleigh, NC: October 4, 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

Raleigh, NC

$1.3K 48.7%

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41% 59.4% $770

Groceries & Markets

Raleigh, NC

$414 15.5%

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7% 48.1% $199

Eating Out

Raleigh, NC

$357 13.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$164 12.7% 54.1% $193

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Raleigh, NC

$317 11.9%

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.1% 46.9% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Raleigh, NC

$156 5.9%

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2% 32.3% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Raleigh, NC

$67 2.5%

Rio de Janeiro

$48 3.7% 28.1% $19

Getting Around

Raleigh, NC

$59 2.2%

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7% 1.9% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,750 in Raleigh, NC 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 569% higher in Raleigh, NC, 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 $99.0 in Raleigh, NC versus $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $414 vs $215 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Raleigh, NC

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🕒 Local time

05:47 5:47 AM

06:47 6:47 AM

1 h ahead of Raleigh, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

431,746

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 = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Raleigh, NC Rio de Janeiro 7,520 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Raleigh, NC
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

Raleigh, NC vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Raleigh, NC costs about 107% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,998 per month in Raleigh, NC 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 23% less in Rio de Janeiro. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,463 per month in Raleigh, NC 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 Raleigh, NC at $2,666. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Raleigh, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rio de Janeiro costs $1,285 versus $2,666 in Raleigh, NC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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