Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Ayutuxtepeque

For one person, living is cheaper in Ayutuxtepeque: $953 a month against $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,273
/mo nomad
Ayutuxtepeque
🇸🇻 El Salvador
$953
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Ayutuxtepeque

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rio de Janeiro and in Ayutuxtepeque actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro versus $953 in Ayutuxtepeque.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,273
  • Ayutuxtepeque $953

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,391 in Ayutuxtepeque.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,841
  • Ayutuxtepeque $1,391

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,409 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,829 in Ayutuxtepeque.

  • Rio de Janeiro $2,409
  • Ayutuxtepeque $1,829

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 34% more expensive than in Ayutuxtepeque, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 6% lower, Ayutuxtepeque 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.38 R$47.54
$6.70 $6.70
40.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.00 R$203
$29.74 $29.74
34.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.34 R$42.28
$4.94 $4.94
68.83%
Cappuccino
$2.29 R$11.62
$3.62 $3.62
-36.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 R$8.05
$0.63 $0.63
152.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 R$5.10
$0.48 $0.48
110.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.14 R$10.85
$1.27 $1.27
68.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 R$18.55
$3.03 $3.03
20.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 R$5.72
$1.44 $1.44
-21.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.09 R$10.60
$1.47 $1.47
42.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.25 R$6.36
$0.98 $0.98
27.55%
Eggs
$2.25 R$11.39
$2.35 $2.35
-4.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.92 R$55.3
$7.73 $7.73
41.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.36 R$22.10
$5.45 $5.45
-20.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.60 R$48.66
$8.98 $8.98
6.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 R$14.46
$3.28 $3.28
-13.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 R$9.16
$1.42 $1.42
27.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.58 R$8.02
$2.25 $2.25
-29.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.83 R$9.28
$3.43 $3.43
-46.65%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 R$6.10
$1.69 $1.69
-28.99%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 R$5.35
$2.14 $2.14
-50.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 R$3.81
$0.64 $0.64
17.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 R$3.45
$0.94 $0.94
-27.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.94 R$14.90
$3.97 $3.97
-25.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.98 R$40.43
$6.12 $6.12
30.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 R$5.98
$1.49 $1.49
-20.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 R$12.26
$2.53 $2.53
-4.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.94 R$4.78
$0.34 $0.34
176.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.3 R$255
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.20 R$6.10
$6.11 $6.11
-80.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.83 R$4.20
$2.92 $2.92
-71.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.97 R$45.48
$19.86 $19.86
-54.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 R$6.53
$1.28 $1.28
0.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K R$115.5K
$24.5K $24.5K
-7.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0K R$172.1K
$26.8K $26.8K
26.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$134 R$681
$93.8 $93.8
43.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.73 R$54.4
$19.81 $19.81
-45.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.84 R$116
$34.67 $34.67
-34.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.16 R$153
$14.99 $14.99
101.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.49 R$160
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.73 R$39.17
$5.01 $5.01
54.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$584 R$2,960
$163 $163
257.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.8K R$64.9K
$2,954 $2,954
333.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.12 R$208
$24.68 $24.68
66.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.26 R$250
$30.10 $30.10
63.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.7 R$373
$117 $117
-36.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$65.9 R$334
$73.5 $73.5
-10.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$900 R$4,561
$152 $152
491.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$527 R$2,673
$300 $300
76.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,332 R$6,754
$392 $392
239.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$748 R$3,790
$398 $398
88.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,990 R$20.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,560 R$7,908
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rio de Janeiro
Ayutuxtepeque
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$640 R$3,246
$426 $426
50.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.93
8.5
40.35%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 18, 2026

Last update for Ayutuxtepeque: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
$527
Ayutuxtepeque
$300 43.2% $228
Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
$214
Ayutuxtepeque
$219 2.4% $5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
$168
Ayutuxtepeque
$148 11.6% $20
Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
$156
Ayutuxtepeque
$129 17.4% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
$103
Ayutuxtepeque
$110 6.6% $6.8
Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
$59
Ayutuxtepeque
$22 * 62.9% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
$46
Ayutuxtepeque
$25 45.1% $21

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $900 in Rio de Janeiro and $152 in Ayutuxtepeque. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 50% 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: $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $30.00 in Ayutuxtepeque. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $219, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🇸🇻 Ayutuxtepeque
🕒 Local time
17:26 5:26 PM
14:26 2:26 PM
3 h behind Rio de Janeiro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,211,223
60,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rio de Janeiro Ayutuxtepeque 6,450 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Ayutuxtepeque

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ayutuxtepeque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rio de Janeiro or Ayutuxtepeque?
Ayutuxtepeque wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Rio de Janeiro. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ayutuxtepeque the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Rio de Janeiro or in Ayutuxtepeque?
Average pay runs 50% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Rio de Janeiro compared to Ayutuxtepeque?
Rent for a central apartment: $900 in Rio de Janeiro versus $152 in Ayutuxtepeque. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Rio de Janeiro and in Ayutuxtepeque?
Childcare runs $584 in Rio de Janeiro versus $163 in Ayutuxtepeque. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Rio de Janeiro and in Ayutuxtepeque?
Dining out is cheaper in Ayutuxtepeque – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Rio de Janeiro or in Ayutuxtepeque?
At $953 in Ayutuxtepeque versus $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ayutuxtepeque but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Ayutuxtepeque the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Rio de Janeiro or Ayutuxtepeque?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ayutuxtepeque delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $953 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ayutuxtepeque hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ayutuxtepeque gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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