Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Cabo Frio Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Cabo Frio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $952 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $825 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,490 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,323 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,029 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,821 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 15% more than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Cabo Frio are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Cabo Frio 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.12

$7.06 R$35.76

3.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 R$184

$29.14 R$148

25.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 R$31.74

$6.49 R$32.84

-3.39%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.00

$2.00 R$10.11

-1.00%

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

$1.27 R$6.42

$1.34 R$6.77

-5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.27

$0.55 R$2.79

52.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.98

$1.78 R$9.03

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$14.04

$2.68 R$13.58

3.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.60

$1.12 R$5.65

-0.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.65

$1.78 R$8.99

-3.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.48

$1.47 R$7.46

0.68%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$2.00 R$10.14

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 R$39.35

$8.02 R$40.61

-3.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.35

$3.50 R$17.74

3.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 R$40.88

$7.88 R$39.89

2.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.67

$2.42 R$12.27

-4.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.97

$1.58 R$7.99

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.39

$1.51 R$7.67

-3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.67

$1.56 R$7.90

-2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.38

$1.30 R$6.59

-3.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.87

$1.11 R$5.60

4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$0.63 R$3.18

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.88

$0.58 R$2.93

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$1.97 R$9.96

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.22

$5.87 R$29.70

45.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.16

$1.27 R$6.42

-3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.40

$2.12 R$10.73

-3.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 R$6.31

$1.12 R$5.66

11.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.19 R$198

$38.40 R$194

2.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.67

$1.07 R$5.44

4.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.37

$0.65 R$3.28

3.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 R$37.61

$7.50 R$37.97

-0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.66

$1.11 R$5.61

0.90%

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

$20.5K R$103.6K

$20.1K R$101.9K

1.65%

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

$27.1K R$137.0K

$27.3K R$138.1K

-0.85%

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

$103 R$519

$101 R$510

1.75%

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

$12.09 R$61.2

$12.11 R$61.3

-0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 R$97.1

$19.18 R$97.1

0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.29 R$133

$22.79 R$115

15.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 R$120

$21.65 R$110

9.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 R$32.71

$6.38 R$32.31

1.25%

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

$537 R$2,716

$536 R$2,711

0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.1K

$11.5K R$58.2K

1.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 R$229

$45.26 R$229

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 R$208

$41.31 R$209

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 R$383

$74.4 R$377

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 R$303

$60.3 R$305

-0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,225

$313 R$1,585

40.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R$1,645

$213 R$1,080

52.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 R$4,341

$575 R$2,910

49.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,917

$426 R$2,159

35.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,415 R$17.3K

$1,536 R$7,776

122.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,437

$1,061 R$5,370

38.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 R$2,714

$272 R$1,376

97.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 7, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Rio de Janeiro versus $313 in Cabo Frio. 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 97% 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 $29.00 in Cabo Frio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $181 – making Cabo Frio the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,427 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,237 in Cabo Frio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabo Frio, 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 $952 in Rio de Janeiro and $825 in Cabo Frio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $952 in Rio de Janeiro and $825 in Cabo Frio, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – 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 Cabo Frio. 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.