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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $775 in Assis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,236 in Assis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,698 in Assis.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 23% more expensive than in Assis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Assis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.12 R$36.03

$5.31 R$26.88

34.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.19 R$183

$27.04 R$137

33.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 R$31.65

$6.26 R$31.68

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.00

$1.79 R$9.07

10.61%

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

$1.28 R$6.48

$1.13 R$5.69

13.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.63 R$3.17

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.93

$1.83 R$9.24

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 R$13.97

$2.65 R$13.43

4.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.65

$1.00 R$5.07

12.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 R$8.70

$1.28 R$6.46

34.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.47

$1.83 R$9.26

-19.13%

Eggs

$1.97 R$9.94

$1.44 R$7.27

36.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 R$40.14

$6.65 R$33.66

19.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 R$17.82

$4.85 R$24.51

-27.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 R$40.91

$7.97 R$40.29

1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 R$11.86

$2.17 R$11.00

8.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.22

$1.11 R$5.62

45.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.63

$1.10 R$5.58

37.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.54

$1.70 R$8.57

-12.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.60

$1.76 R$8.90

-25.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.10 R$5.55

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.83 R$4.20

-18.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.87

$0.88 R$4.47

-35.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.11

$2.16 R$10.92

-7.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 R$39.35

$5.99 R$30.29

29.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.17

$1.20 R$6.09

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.52

$1.99 R$10.05

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.22

$0.93 R$4.72

32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.62 R$195

$38.17 R$193

1.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.50

$1.10 R$5.55

-0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.55

$0.71 R$3.59

-1.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 R$39.31

$6.38 R$32.26

21.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.57

$1.08 R$5.46

1.85%

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

$20.4K R$103.2K

$20.5K R$103.8K

-0.54%

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

$27.6K R$139.8K

$28.1K R$142.1K

-1.61%

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

$102 R$517

$59.5 R$301

71.63%

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

$11.98 R$60.6

$13.32 R$67.4

-10.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 R$96.9

$18.53 R$93.7

3.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.19 R$132

$22.96 R$116

14.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.86 R$121

$21.28 R$108

12.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 R$32.59

$6.40 R$32.37

0.63%

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

$546 R$2,763

$266 R$1,346

105.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K R$58.9K

$6,550 R$33.1K

77.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.00 R$233

$48.37 R$245

-4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.47 R$210

$41.65 R$211

-0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 R$386

$77.0 R$389

-0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.5 R$306

$63.7 R$322

-4.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R$2,219

$309 R$1,563

42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 R$1,652

$217 R$1,100

50.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 R$4,371

$594 R$3,004

45.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 R$2,919

$437 R$2,212

31.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 R$19.0K

$1,415 R$7,156

166.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,455 R$7,361

$1,107 R$5,598

31.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 R$3,052

$590 R$2,984

2.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.92

3.75%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 20, 2026

Last update for Assis: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Rio de Janeiro and $309 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 2% 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: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Assis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $178 per month, with Assis 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 Assis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $439 in Rio de Janeiro versus $309 in Assis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Assis runs roughly 1% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $546 in Rio de Janeiro versus $266 in Assis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Assis gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Assis 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.

Expats usually find Assis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.