Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Acarigua

For one person, living is cheaper in Acarigua: $807 a month against $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rio de Janeiro outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,289
/mo nomad
Acarigua
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$807
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Acarigua

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rio de Janeiro and in Acarigua actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $807 in Acarigua.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,289
  • Acarigua $807

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,422 in Acarigua.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,868
  • Acarigua $1,422

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,038 in Acarigua.

  • Rio de Janeiro $2,448
  • Acarigua $2,038

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 60% more expensive than in Acarigua, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 5% lower, Acarigua 40% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.06 R$51.0
$10.84 VES 9,518
-7.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.44 R$205
$66.9 VES 58.7K
-39.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 R$43.35
$11.22 VES 9,849
-23.80%
Cappuccino
$2.38 R$12.04
$3.57 VES 3,137
-33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 R$8.18
$1.57 VES 1,380
2.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 R$5.22
$1.30 VES 1,140
-20.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.47 R$12.54
$2.03 VES 1,785
21.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 R$18.77
$2.94 VES 2,585
25.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 R$6.05
$2.66 VES 2,335
-55.26%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 R$10.38
$2.20 VES 1,934
-6.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 R$6.49
$1.91 VES 1,674
-32.98%
Eggs
$2.29 R$11.60
$4.64 VES 4,071
-50.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.76 R$54.5
$10.29 VES 9,030
4.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.41 R$22.36
$9.20 VES 8,079
-52.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.84 R$49.86
$11.27 VES 9,895
-12.69%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 R$14.25
$7.31 VES 6,418
-61.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 R$9.03
$1.99 VES 1,751
-10.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 R$8.13
$2.22 VES 1,945
-27.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 R$9.11
$2.35 VES 2,060
-23.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.17
$2.22 VES 1,945
-45.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 R$5.26
$2.23 VES 1,956
-53.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 R$3.92
$1.57 VES 1,378
-50.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 R$3.38
$2.39 VES 2,103
-71.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.01 R$15.27
$4.48 VES 3,930
-32.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.08 R$40.94
$12.17 VES 10.7K
-33.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 R$6.03
$1.41 VES 1,238
-15.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 R$12.73
$2.13 VES 1,870
17.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 R$5.00
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.1 R$254
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 R$6.20
$5.08 VES 4,462
-75.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 R$4.66
$2.71 VES 2,382
-66.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.97 R$45.45
$14.93 VES 13.1K
-39.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 R$6.57
$0.88 VES 774
47.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K R$121.0K
$25.5K VES 22.4M
-6.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K R$166.6K
$38.4K VES 33.8M
-14.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$133 R$676
$22.06 VES 19.4K
504.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.82 R$54.8
$11.85 VES 10.4K
-8.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.90 R$116
$37.24 VES 32.7K
-38.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.79 R$156
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.85 R$161
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 R$40.83
$6.42 VES 5,640
25.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$598 R$3,029
$159 VES 139.9K
274.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K R$68.0K
$6,058 VES 5.3M
121.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.04 R$213
$77.2 VES 67.8K
-45.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.68 R$252
$50.7 VES 44.5K
-2.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.5 R$378
$131 VES 115.3K
-43.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.7 R$348
$134 VES 117.3K
-48.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 R$4,578
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$529 R$2,684
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,326 R$6,724
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$756 R$3,831
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,010 R$20.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,560 R$7,910
$632 VES 554.4K
147.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rio de Janeiro
Acarigua
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$640 R$3,242
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.93
22
-45.77%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Acarigua: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
$529
Acarigua
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
$215
Acarigua
$336 56.7% $122
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
$167
Acarigua
$71 57.4% $96
Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
$165
Acarigua
$191 15.6% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
$106
Acarigua
$177 67.2% $71
Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
$60
Acarigua
$19 * 68.9% $41
Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
$47
Acarigua
$13 * 72.6% $34

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $67.0 in Acarigua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $336 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🇻🇪 Acarigua
🕒 Local time
23:02 11:02 PM
22:02 10:02 PM
1 h behind Rio de Janeiro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,211,223
205,933
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

VES, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

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).

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 878 VES (1,000 VES = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 987 VES (1,000 VES = 1.01 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rio de Janeiro Acarigua 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Acarigua

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
Rio de Janeiro vs Acarigua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Acarigua cheaper than Rio de Janeiro?
Acarigua is cheaper overall, especially in transport and leisure. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,933 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,210 in Acarigua to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do food prices compare in Rio de Janeiro and in Acarigua?
Shoppers in Rio de Janeiro pay roughly 57% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
What are total monthly expenses in Rio de Janeiro and in Acarigua?
All in, you'll spend $1,289 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $807 in Acarigua – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Rio de Janeiro or in Acarigua?
At $807 in Acarigua versus $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Acarigua but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Acarigua the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Rio de Janeiro or Acarigua more family-friendly?
For families, Acarigua is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Janeiro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Acarigua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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