Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $946 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $851 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,488 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,341 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,030 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,831 in Boa Vista, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 11% more than Boa Vista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Boa Vista are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Boa Vista 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 R$37.04

$5.46 R$27.72

33.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.46 R$185

$26.49 R$134

37.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.76

$6.39 R$32.44

1.10%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.64

$1.71 R$8.69

11.11%

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

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.11 R$5.65

16.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.40

$0.65 R$3.31

33.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.86

$1.76 R$8.95

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.88

$2.72 R$13.79

0.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.70

$0.98 R$4.98

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.64

$1.52 R$7.69

11.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.55

$1.01 R$5.12

47.52%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.88

$2.57 R$13.02

-24.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R$39.47

$8.78 R$44.58

-11.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 R$18.11

$3.56 R$18.09

0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 R$39.94

$11.06 R$56.1

-28.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.32

$2.16 R$10.96

12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.28

$1.14 R$5.79

42.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.43

$1.55 R$7.85

-5.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.85

$1.50 R$7.63

3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.26

$0.92 R$4.69

33.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.65

$0.93 R$4.71

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.49

$0.74 R$3.74

-6.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.06

$0.65 R$3.32

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.99

$2.19 R$11.10

-10.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 R$39.29

$17.47 R$88.7

-55.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.17

$1.20 R$6.11

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.55

$1.99 R$10.10

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.29

$0.87 R$4.42

42.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 R$197

$39.08 R$198

-0.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.70

$1.06 R$5.39

5.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 R$3.30

$0.71 R$3.59

-8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 R$37.57

$6.23 R$31.61

18.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.05 R$5.33

0.95%

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

$20.3K R$102.8K

$20.6K R$104.4K

-1.48%

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

$28.1K R$142.5K

$27.8K R$140.9K

1.16%

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

$101 R$513

$61.6 R$312

64.37%

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

$12.30 R$62.4

$20.69 R$105

-40.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.55 R$94.1

$28.30 R$144

-34.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.98 R$132

$29.65 R$150

-12.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$123

$22.02 R$112

9.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 R$33.08

$5.27 R$26.77

23.72%

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

$539 R$2,737

$274 R$1,389

97.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.2K

$6,525 R$33.1K

78.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 R$228

$48.38 R$245

-6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 R$210

$41.59 R$211

-0.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 R$387

$75.0 R$381

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 R$313

$64.5 R$327

-4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,203

$312 R$1,584

39.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,646

$230 R$1,166

41.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R$4,293

$572 R$2,902

47.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 R$2,879

$433 R$2,198

30.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,721 R$18.9K

$770 R$3,908

383.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 R$7,516

$782 R$3,969

89.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$600 R$3,043

$625 R$3,171

-4.05%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Boa Vista: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Rio de Janeiro versus $312 in Boa Vista. 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 4% higher in Boa Vista, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $26.00 in Boa Vista. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Rio de Janeiro vs $208 in Boa Vista – so Rio de Janeiro 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 Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro costs about 11% more than Boa Vista, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,419 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,276 in Boa Vista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Boa Vista, 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 $946 in Rio de Janeiro and $851 in Boa Vista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Boa Vista. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Boa Vista, where all-in costs run around $851, than in Rio de Janeiro at $946. In Boa Vista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boa Vista costs $851 versus $946 in Rio de Janeiro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Boa Vista. 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.