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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,182 in Ajijic, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,479 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,939 in Ajijic, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,696 in Ajijic, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro is about 19% cheaper than Ajijic, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Ajijic are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Ajijic 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.03

$7.91 MX$137

-8.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$178

$34.68 MX$600

2.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.25

$6.80 MX$118

-5.29%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.88

$3.35 MX$58.0

-41.19%

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

$1.27 R$6.38

$1.07 MX$18.53

18.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.49

$0.85 MX$14.66

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.83

$1.82 MX$31.55

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.43

$3.15 MX$54.5

-14.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.82

$1.36 MX$23.44

-14.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.50

$2.27 MX$39.33

-25.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.07

$1.08 MX$18.69

30.56%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.00

$2.00 MX$34.58

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.27

$8.09 MX$140

-0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.11

$7.23 MX$125

-49.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.04

$6.80 MX$118

20.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.00

$2.16 MX$37.31

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.91

$0.89 MX$15.41

77.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.48

$0.91 MX$15.77

63.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.81

$1.41 MX$24.44

10.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.53

$1.38 MX$23.84

-5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.52

$1.04 MX$17.98

5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.87 MX$14.99

-21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.90

$0.83 MX$14.28

-30.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.75

$4.07 MX$70.4

-52.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$43.69

$9.31 MX$161

-6.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.08

$1.40 MX$24.24

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.77

$1.68 MX$29.05

27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.16

$0.61 MX$10.56

101.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$197

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.57

$1.09 MX$18.85

1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.57

$1.58 MX$27.38

-55.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$36.90

$3.18 MX$55.1

131.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.37

$1.31 MX$22.59

-18.32%

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

$20.4K R$101.9K

$18.8K MX$324.7K

8.43%

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

$27.1K R$135.6K

$18.9K MX$326.6K

43.49%

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

$104 R$519

$44.74 MX$774

132.03%

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

$12.18 R$61.0

$16.21 MX$280

-24.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$93.6

$25.54 MX$442

-26.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$128

$24.01 MX$415

6.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$122

$5.24 MX$90.7

365.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.05

$4.29 MX$74.2

53.85%

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

$542 R$2,712

$179 MX$3,095

202.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.1K

$2,654 MX$45.9K

344.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$221

$41.62 MX$720

6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$210

$16.17 MX$280

159.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$385

$65.2 MX$1,128

17.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$310

$54.1 MX$935

14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,194

$812 MX$14.0K

-46.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,654

$633 MX$10.9K

-47.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,196

$1,597 MX$27.6K

-47.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,849

$1,401 MX$24.2K

-59.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$16.8K

$3,248 MX$56.2K

3.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$6,950

$1,742 MX$30.1K

-20.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,743

$583 MX$10.1K

-5.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.24

0.80%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ajijic: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $812 in Ajijic. 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 6% higher in Ajijic, 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 $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $35.00 in Ajijic. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Rio de Janeiro vs $205 in Ajijic – so Rio de Janeiro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ajijic: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ajijic is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,440 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,773 in Ajijic. 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $960 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,182 in Ajijic. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $542 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $179 in Ajijic. 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 $960, than in Ajijic at $1,182. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ajijic it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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