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: $948 in Rio de Janeiro versus $793 in Assis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,236 in Assis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,679 in Assis.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 20% more expensive than Assis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Assis 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$34.96

$5.27 R$26.20

33.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 R$176

$27.15 R$135

30.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$30.78

$6.48 R$32.20

-4.48%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.92

$1.78 R$8.87

12.36%

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

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.11 R$5.53

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.46

$0.63 R$3.11

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.75

$1.85 R$9.18

-4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.09

$2.73 R$13.58

-3.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.62

$0.92 R$4.59

22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 R$8.40

$1.22 R$6.08

38.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.04

$1.85 R$9.18

-23.24%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.55

$1.39 R$6.90

38.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.73

$6.96 R$34.58

11.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.05

$4.64 R$23.05

-21.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 R$39.72

$8.08 R$40.14

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.60

$2.22 R$11.02

4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$1.07 R$5.30

49.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.25

$1.10 R$5.47

32.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.80

$1.74 R$8.63

-9.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.19

$1.85 R$9.20

-32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.76

$1.09 R$5.43

6.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.44

$0.80 R$3.96

-13.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.07

$0.93 R$4.63

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.77

$2.10 R$10.42

-6.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 R$39.28

$6.12 R$30.41

29.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.33

$1.25 R$6.23

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$2.09 R$10.38

1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 R$6.38

$0.87 R$4.31

47.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 R$191

$38.16 R$190

0.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.54

$1.10 R$5.46

0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$0.69 R$3.45

2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 R$38.70

$6.23 R$30.97

25.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.29

$1.03 R$5.14

2.91%

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

$20.9K R$104.0K

$20.4K R$101.5K

2.52%

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

$27.9K R$138.6K

$27.6K R$137.3K

0.90%

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

$103 R$513

$60.1 R$299

71.96%

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

$12.22 R$60.7

$13.53 R$67.2

-9.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 R$93.5

$18.54 R$92.1

1.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.63 R$127

$22.40 R$111

14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 R$120

$21.87 R$109

10.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$31.72

$6.24 R$31.01

2.24%

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

$551 R$2,738

$273 R$1,358

101.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$58.1K

$6,450 R$32.1K

81.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 R$228

$49.24 R$245

-6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.16 R$205

$42.20 R$210

-2.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$380

$77.2 R$383

-0.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$302

$63.4 R$315

-4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,154

$312 R$1,548

39.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,669

$213 R$1,056

58.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 R$4,237

$584 R$2,904

45.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,926

$433 R$2,150

36.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 R$14.5K

$1,761 R$8,754

66.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 R$6,668

$1,103 R$5,481

21.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 R$2,708

$591 R$2,935

-7.75%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Assis: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Rio de Janeiro and $312 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Assis pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27 in Assis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 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 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Assis earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Rio de Janeiro versus $312 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 $551 in Rio de Janeiro versus $273 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 20% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.