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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,205 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $844 in Aracatuba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,336 in Aracatuba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,292 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,828 in Aracatuba, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 43% more than Aracatuba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Aracatuba are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Aracatuba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 R$43.57

$5.75 R$29.48

47.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R$195

$30.26 R$155

25.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 R$39.04

$7.26 R$37.18

4.96%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.49

$1.88 R$9.61

19.15%

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

$1.56 R$7.97

$1.22 R$6.27

27.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.32

$0.74 R$3.81

40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.63

$1.93 R$9.92

17.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.94

$2.93 R$15.01

12.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.68

$1.04 R$5.31

6.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 R$10.04

$1.83 R$9.37

7.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.80

$1.35 R$6.92

-1.48%

Eggs

$2.22 R$11.37

$2.00 R$10.24

11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 R$53.1

$9.36 R$47.97

10.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$22.15

$3.70 R$18.96

16.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 R$48.28

$7.85 R$40.22

20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.52

$1.94 R$9.96

36.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.83

$1.34 R$6.89

28.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.80

$1.04 R$5.31

46.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.16

$1.52 R$7.81

17.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.08 R$5.55

13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.30

$1.09 R$5.59

-5.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.85 R$4.37

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.23

$0.72 R$3.71

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 R$14.90

$2.59 R$13.30

12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$40.16

$8.86 R$45.42

-11.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.65

$1.35 R$6.92

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.11

$1.94 R$9.95

31.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.11

$0.98 R$5.02

2.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$251

$39.03 R$200

25.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.09

$1.12 R$5.75

6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.49

$0.96 R$4.91

-8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.98

$8.36 R$42.86

7.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.20 R$6.12

5.00%

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

$23.3K R$119.7K

$24.0K R$123.0K

-2.73%

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

$32.2K R$165.2K

$28.7K R$147.2K

12.19%

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

$132 R$675

$73.7 R$378

78.60%

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

$10.95 R$56.1

$13.67 R$70.1

-19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 R$112

$18.72 R$95.9

17.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 R$146

$27.84 R$143

2.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$155

$24.41 R$125

23.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 R$39.99

$6.77 R$34.72

15.21%

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

$538 R$2,757

$320 R$1,640

68.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$65.6K

$6,895 R$35.3K

85.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 R$208

$48.14 R$247

-15.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$238

$53.7 R$275

-13.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 R$357

$82.4 R$423

-15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$331

$74.7 R$383

-13.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 R$4,243

$320 R$1,638

158.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R$2,396

$260 R$1,332

79.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,476

$638 R$3,269

98.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R$3,705

$511 R$2,619

41.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 R$20.7K

$1,516 R$7,770

166.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 R$7,745

$1,154 R$5,915

30.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 R$3,142

$374 R$1,916

64.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

11.12

7.28%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Last update for Aracatuba: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in Rio de Janeiro versus $320 in Aracatuba. 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 64% 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 $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $30.00 in Aracatuba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $188 – making Aracatuba 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 de Janeiro vs Aracatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, $844 in Aracatuba – roughly 43% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,807 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,266 in Aracatuba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aracatuba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $538 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $320 in Aracatuba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Rio de Janeiro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aracatuba, where all-in costs run around $844, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,205. In Aracatuba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $844 in Aracatuba to $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Aracatuba. 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.