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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $645 in Aracaju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,002 in Aracaju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,359 in Aracaju.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 47% more expensive than in Aracaju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Aracaju 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.57

$4.97 R$25.41

47.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$181

$21.83 R$112

62.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.12

$5.29 R$27.05

18.71%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.72

$1.61 R$8.23

18.01%

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

$1.29 R$6.57

$0.97 R$4.94

32.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.66

$0.55 R$2.83

65.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.95

$1.84 R$9.41

-4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.98

$2.59 R$13.25

5.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.77

$0.95 R$4.84

18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.73

$1.30 R$6.67

31.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.29

$1.04 R$5.30

37.50%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.42

$1.51 R$7.71

35.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.58

$6.79 R$34.70

13.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.82

$3.39 R$17.35

2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.93

$6.35 R$32.45

26.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.76

$1.64 R$8.39

40.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.04

$1.14 R$5.80

37.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.73

$0.65 R$3.34

132.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.90

$0.98 R$5.00

58.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.36

$0.89 R$4.52

39.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.70

$0.88 R$4.50

27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.27

$0.46 R$2.34

39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.91

$0.56 R$2.87

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.21

$2.01 R$10.27

-0.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.48

$5.67 R$28.96

39.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.32 R$6.77

-4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.47

$1.89 R$9.68

8.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.58

$0.79 R$4.04

63.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$202

$38.12 R$195

3.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.46

$1.09 R$5.58

-1.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.39

$1.09 R$5.57

-39.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.78

$6.17 R$31.54

19.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.66

$1.04 R$5.30

6.73%

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

$20.7K R$105.7K

$18.4K R$93.8K

12.71%

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

$27.5K R$140.6K

$26.3K R$134.5K

4.52%

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

$103 R$526

$68.3 R$349

50.84%

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

$11.99 R$61.3

$14.32 R$73.2

-16.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.6

$15.84 R$80.9

16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$18.83 R$96.2

38.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$125

$24.19 R$124

0.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.40

$5.82 R$29.74

8.93%

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

$554 R$2,830

$169 R$863

228.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.2K

$4,901 R$25.0K

140.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$231

$51.4 R$263

-11.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$213

$30.09 R$154

38.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$391

$68.9 R$352

11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$317

$79.4 R$406

-21.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,269

$179 R$913

148.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,664

$116 R$592

180.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,328

$598 R$3,056

41.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,952

$211 R$1,077

174.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.7K

$1,268 R$6,478

188.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,538

$867 R$4,432

70.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,035

$452 R$2,310

31.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.35

9.47%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Aracaju: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Rio de Janeiro and $179 in Aracaju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $22.00 in Aracaju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $146 per month, with Aracaju cheaper across the board.

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 Aracaju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Aracaju differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($945 vs $645 including rent). Aracaju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $179 in Aracaju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $554 in Rio de Janeiro versus $169 in Aracaju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Aracaju gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Aracaju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.