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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $945 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $611 in Banjul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,472 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,093 in Banjul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,000 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,576 in Banjul, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 55% more than Banjul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Banjul are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Banjul 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.57

$5.56 GMD 413

32.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$181

$64.6 GMD 4,789

-45.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.12

$6.81 GMD 505

-7.78%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.72

$2.52 GMD 187

-24.60%

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

$1.29 R$6.57

$2.16 GMD 160

-40.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.66

$1.35 GMD 99.9

-32.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.95

$4.09 GMD 303

-57.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.98

$4.23 GMD 314

-35.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.77

$1.40 GMD 104

-19.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.73

$0.53 GMD 39.56

222.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.29

$1.41 GMD 104

1.42%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.42

$2.07 GMD 154

-1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.58

$6.19 GMD 459

25.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.82

$2.91 GMD 216

19.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.93

$5.93 GMD 440

35.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.76

$2.12 GMD 157

8.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.04

$1.27 GMD 94.1

23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.73

$1.88 GMD 139

-19.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.90

$1.46 GMD 108

6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.36

$0.92 GMD 68.3

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.70

$1.00 GMD 73.8

12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.27

$0.24 GMD 17.68

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.91

$0.40 GMD 29.61

42.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.21

$1.78 GMD 132

12.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.48

$6.36 GMD 471

24.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.58 GMD 117

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.47

$1.72 GMD 128

19.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.58

$0.22 GMD 16.32

486.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$202

$6.71 GMD 497

488.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.46

$0.36 GMD 26.70

197.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.39

$0.68 GMD 50.2

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.78

$4.14 GMD 307

78.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.66

$1.14 GMD 84.5

-2.63%

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

$20.7K R$105.7K

$2,717 GMD 201.5K

661.14%

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

$27.5K R$140.6K

$3,409 GMD 252.8K

707.15%

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

$103 R$526

$32.46 GMD 2,407

217.19%

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

$11.99 R$61.3

$15.13 GMD 1,122

-20.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.6

$47.78 GMD 3,543

-61.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$24.52 GMD 1,819

6.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$125

$14.10 GMD 1,046

73.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.40

$3.65 GMD 270

73.70%

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

$554 R$2,830

$6.91 GMD 512

7915.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.2K

$140 GMD 10.4K

8324.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$231

$55.6 GMD 4,119

-18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$213

$45.17 GMD 3,349

-7.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$391

$99.5 GMD 7,381

-23.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$317

$85.8 GMD 6,359

-27.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,269

$103 GMD 7,607

332.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,664

$54.3 GMD 4,025

499.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,328

$231 GMD 17.1K

267.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,952

$142 GMD 10.5K

306.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.7K

$1,436 GMD 106.5K

154.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,538

$1,152 GMD 85.4K

27.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,035

$61.4 GMD 4,554

866.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.12

11.96%

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 Banjul: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $103 in Banjul. 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 867% 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 $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $65.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Rio de Janeiro vs $152 in Banjul – so Banjul wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Banjul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,417 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $916 in Banjul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $945 in Rio de Janeiro and $611 in Banjul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 489% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $945 in Rio de Janeiro and $611 in Banjul, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Banjul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Banjul. 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.