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 $946 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $853 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,488 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,330 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,030 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,806 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 11% 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 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 R$37.04

$7.15 R$36.29

2.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.46 R$185

$28.38 R$144

28.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.76

$6.23 R$31.61

3.69%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.64

$1.92 R$9.76

-1.04%

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

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.34 R$6.79

-3.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.40

$0.55 R$2.80

58.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.88

$2.68 R$13.62

1.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.70

$1.12 R$5.66

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.64

$1.71 R$8.66

-0.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.55

$1.48 R$7.52

0.68%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.88

$1.92 R$9.76

1.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R$39.47

$8.09 R$41.05

-3.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 R$18.11

$3.54 R$17.95

0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 R$39.94

$8.11 R$41.17

-2.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.32

$2.34 R$11.86

3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.28

$1.60 R$8.14

1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.43

$1.45 R$7.37

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.85

$1.49 R$7.57

4.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.26

$1.24 R$6.30

-0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.65

$1.11 R$5.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.49

$0.67 R$3.41

2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.06

$0.57 R$2.90

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.99

$1.96 R$9.94

0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 R$39.29

$6.00 R$30.44

29.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.17

$1.21 R$6.16

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.55

$2.11 R$10.73

-1.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.29

$1.18 R$5.98

5.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 R$197

$39.17 R$199

-0.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.70

$1.07 R$5.42

4.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 R$3.30

$0.71 R$3.60

-8.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 R$37.57

$7.58 R$38.45

-2.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.06 R$5.38

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

$20.3K R$102.8K

$20.6K R$104.4K

-1.51%

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

$28.1K R$142.5K

$27.5K R$139.5K

2.17%

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

$101 R$513

$103 R$523

-1.93%

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

$12.30 R$62.4

$12.18 R$61.8

0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.55 R$94.1

$18.72 R$95.0

-0.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.98 R$132

$22.64 R$115

14.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$123

$22.02 R$112

9.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 R$33.08

$6.30 R$31.98

3.49%

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

$539 R$2,737

$546 R$2,771

-1.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.2K

$11.7K R$59.3K

-0.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 R$228

$45.23 R$229

-0.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 R$210

$42.23 R$214

-1.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 R$387

$77.3 R$392

-1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 R$313

$60.3 R$306

2.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,203

$313 R$1,591

38.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,646

$220 R$1,118

47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R$4,293

$591 R$3,000

43.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 R$2,879

$424 R$2,151

33.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,721 R$18.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 R$7,516

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$600 R$3,043

$276 R$1,401

117.13%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 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 117% 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 $28.00 in Cabo Frio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $180 – 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 11%, 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 $1,419 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,279 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 $946 in Rio de Janeiro and $853 in Cabo Frio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $853, than in Rio de Janeiro at $946. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.