Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Cachoeira do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Cachoeira do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,205 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $803 in Cachoeira do Sul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,283 in Cachoeira do Sul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,292 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,762 in Cachoeira do Sul, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 50% more than Cachoeira do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Cachoeira do Sul are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Cachoeira do Sul 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 R$43.56

$4.92 R$25.21

72.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R$195

$19.01 R$97.4

100.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 R$39.03

$6.89 R$35.30

10.60%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.48

$2.62 R$13.43

-14.50%

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

$1.56 R$7.97

$1.39 R$7.14

12.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.32

$1.07 R$5.47

-2.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.63

$2.36 R$12.09

-3.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.93

$2.86 R$14.66

15.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.67

$0.84 R$4.33

32.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 R$10.03

$0.67 R$3.44

192.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.80

$0.95 R$4.85

40.00%

Eggs

$2.22 R$11.37

$1.74 R$8.90

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 R$53.0

$7.68 R$39.33

34.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$22.15

$4.58 R$23.47

-5.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 R$48.27

$7.46 R$38.25

26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.52

$2.39 R$12.25

10.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.83

$0.71 R$3.64

142.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.79

$0.49 R$2.52

210.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.15

$0.89 R$4.56

101.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$0.99 R$5.07

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.30

$1.05 R$5.40

-1.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.83 R$4.26

-15.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.23

$0.34 R$1.74

85.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 R$14.89

$1.57 R$8.04

85.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$40.15

$5.64 R$28.89

39.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.65

$0.98 R$5.02

12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.10

$1.59 R$8.17

61.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.11

$1.18 R$6.02

-15.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$251

$44.31 R$227

10.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.09

$1.28 R$6.54

-7.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.49

$0.81 R$4.15

8.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.97

$8.14 R$41.68

10.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.45

$0.94 R$4.81

34.04%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.2K R$119.0K

0.49%

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

$32.2K R$165.1K

$32.1K R$164.7K

0.26%

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

$132 R$675

$71.9 R$368

83.14%

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

$10.95 R$56.1

$12.00 R$61.5

-8.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 R$112

$20.79 R$107

5.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 R$146

$24.62 R$126

15.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$155

$25.50 R$131

18.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 R$39.98

$7.02 R$35.97

11.11%

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

$538 R$2,756

$287 R$1,470

87.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$65.6K

$7,407 R$38.0K

72.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 R$208

$49.83 R$255

-18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$238

$56.6 R$290

-18.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 R$357

$97.6 R$500

-28.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$331

$76.7 R$393

-15.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 R$4,242

$346 R$1,775

138.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R$2,395

$232 R$1,189

101.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,474

$682 R$3,494

85.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R$3,704

$387 R$1,981

87.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 R$20.7K

$1,391 R$7,127

190.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 R$7,743

$1,293 R$6,623

16.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 R$3,142

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

11.5

3.74%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Last update for Cachoeira do Sul: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in Rio de Janeiro versus $346 in Cachoeira do Sul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $19.00 in Cachoeira do Sul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $149 – making Cachoeira do Sul 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 Cachoeira do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,807 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,205 in Cachoeira do Sul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cachoeira do Sul, 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 $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro and $803 in Cachoeira do Sul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Cachoeira do Sul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cachoeira do Sul, where all-in costs run around $803, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,205. In Cachoeira do Sul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cachoeira do Sul – 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 Cachoeira do Sul. 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.