Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio Branco and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio Branco and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $819 per month in Rio Branco vs $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,288 per month in Rio Branco vs $1,799 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,757 per month in Rio Branco vs $2,360 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Rio Branco is about 34% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rio Branco and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Rio Branco 40% lower, Rio de Janeiro 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 R$35.36

$9.14 R$46.85

-24.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.16 R$129

$38.73 R$198

-35.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.47 R$38.30

$8.05 R$41.25

-7.20%

Cappuccino

$2.94 R$15.08

$2.24 R$11.45

31.25%

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

$1.40 R$7.17

$1.58 R$8.11

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.92

$1.02 R$5.24

-24.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 R$10.14

$2.34 R$11.99

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R$15.35

$3.24 R$16.61

-7.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.09 R$5.61

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.31

$1.97 R$10.12

-17.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.36 R$6.98

-10.29%

Eggs

$2.09 R$10.73

$2.28 R$11.69

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 R$48.35

$10.83 R$55.5

-12.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.09 R$20.95

$4.19 R$21.50

-2.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 R$43.11

$9.62 R$49.32

-12.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 R$11.24

$2.63 R$13.46

-16.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.73 R$8.86

-26.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.16

$1.53 R$7.86

-21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.92

$1.84 R$9.41

-16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 R$6.02

$1.23 R$6.32

-4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.41

$1.00 R$5.14

6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.96

$0.74 R$3.79

4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.08

$0.61 R$3.12

31.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.50 R$12.81

$2.93 R$15.04

-14.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$40.17

$9.00 R$46.13

-12.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.96

$1.19 R$6.09

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 R$10.99

$2.33 R$11.93

-8.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 R$3.55

$0.93 R$4.75

-25.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.48 R$223

$49.48 R$254

-12.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 R$6.32

$1.19 R$6.09

3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.17

$0.84 R$4.28

-3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 R$40.65

$9.03 R$46.26

-12.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.71

$1.28 R$6.55

2.34%

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

$23.4K R$120.1K

$23.0K R$117.7K

2.05%

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

$32.4K R$165.9K

$32.1K R$164.5K

0.83%

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

$73.4 R$376

$136 R$696

-45.96%

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

$12.40 R$63.5

$12.02 R$61.6

3.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.33 R$104

$21.89 R$112

-7.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.70 R$111

$30.08 R$154

-27.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.05 R$139

$29.58 R$152

-8.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 R$17.60

$7.94 R$40.67

-56.80%

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

$294 R$1,508

$551 R$2,822

-46.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,680 R$39.4K

$13.3K R$68.2K

-42.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 R$275

$40.13 R$206

33.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.23 R$247

$46.79 R$240

3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.7 R$475

$72.0 R$369

28.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 R$357

$66.4 R$340

4.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 R$1,744

$833 R$4,266

-59.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 R$966

$482 R$2,468

-60.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 R$2,694

$1,278 R$6,551

-58.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 R$1,713

$702 R$3,597

-52.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,590 R$8,146

$3,929 R$20.1K

-59.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,594 R$8,169

$1,477 R$7,567

7.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$249 R$1,275

$643 R$3,294

-61.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.06

11.93

-7.29%

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

Last update for Rio Branco: September 15, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $340 in Rio Branco versus $833 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 158% 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 $25.00 in Rio Branco versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $211 – making Rio Branco 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

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

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,229 per month in Rio Branco and $1,856 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 Branco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 14% less in Rio Branco. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $294 per month in Rio Branco and $551 in Rio de Janeiro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rio Branco, where all-in costs run around $819, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,237. In Rio Branco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rio Branco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rio Branco. 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.