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 $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $598 in Banjul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,479 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,089 in Banjul, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,580 in Banjul, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 60% more than Banjul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Banjul are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Banjul 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.03

$5.29 GMD 391

36.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$178

$63.9 GMD 4,720

-44.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.25

$6.83 GMD 505

-5.71%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.88

$2.55 GMD 188

-22.75%

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

$1.27 R$6.38

$2.24 GMD 165

-43.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.49

$1.31 GMD 97.1

-31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.83

$3.90 GMD 288

-54.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.43

$4.20 GMD 311

-36.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.82

$1.44 GMD 106

-19.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.50

$0.53 GMD 39.20

220.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.07

$1.36 GMD 101

3.68%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.00

$1.98 GMD 146

1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.27

$6.49 GMD 480

24.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.11

$2.88 GMD 213

25.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.04

$5.88 GMD 434

39.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.00

$2.10 GMD 156

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.91

$1.27 GMD 93.7

24.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.48

$1.83 GMD 136

-18.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.81

$1.39 GMD 102

12.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.53

$0.98 GMD 72.5

32.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.52

$0.99 GMD 73.2

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.26 GMD 19.37

161.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.90

$0.43 GMD 31.79

34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.75

$1.76 GMD 130

10.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$43.69

$6.61 GMD 489

32.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.08

$1.58 GMD 117

-23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.77

$1.75 GMD 129

22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.16

$0.20 GMD 14.75

515.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$197

$6.57 GMD 486

498.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.57

$0.37 GMD 27.14

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.57

$0.71 GMD 52.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$36.90

$4.14 GMD 306

78.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.37

$1.13 GMD 83.3

-5.31%

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

$20.4K R$101.9K

$2,773 GMD 204.9K

634.04%

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

$27.1K R$135.6K

$3,401 GMD 251.3K

696.77%

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

$104 R$519

$32.45 GMD 2,398

219.91%

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

$12.18 R$61.0

$14.82 GMD 1,095

-17.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$93.6

$48.22 GMD 3,563

-61.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$128

$25.25 GMD 1,866

1.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$122

$14.33 GMD 1,059

70.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.05

$3.58 GMD 264

84.36%

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

$542 R$2,712

$7.04 GMD 520

7597.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.1K

$139 GMD 10.3K

8382.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$221

$55.7 GMD 4,116

-20.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$210

$44.94 GMD 3,321

-6.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$385

$97.8 GMD 7,229

-21.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$310

$86.8 GMD 6,414

-28.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,194

$103 GMD 7,644

323.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,654

$52.8 GMD 3,905

525.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,196

$226 GMD 16.7K

271.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,849

$144 GMD 10.6K

295.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$16.8K

$1,461 GMD 108.0K

129.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$6,950

$1,121 GMD 82.8K

23.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,743

$60.5 GMD 4,468

806.30%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Banjul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 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 806% 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 $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $64.0 in Banjul. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Rio de Janeiro vs $153 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 60%, 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 $1,440 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $898 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 $960 in Rio de Janeiro and $598 in Banjul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 498% less in Banjul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Banjul, where all-in costs run around $598, than in Rio de Janeiro at $960. In Banjul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.