Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Cachoeirinha Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Cachoeirinha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $946 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $789 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,488 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,243 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,030 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,696 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 20% more than Cachoeirinha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Cachoeirinha are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Cachoeirinha 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 R$37.04

$4.01 R$20.33

82.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.46 R$185

$18.16 R$92.1

100.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.76

$3.97 R$20.16

62.72%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.64

$1.88 R$9.54

1.06%

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

$1.29 R$6.54

$0.60 R$3.05

115.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.40

$0.43 R$2.17

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.86

$1.58 R$8.00

10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.88

$2.72 R$13.80

0.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.70

$0.86 R$4.34

30.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.64

$1.44 R$7.31

18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.55

$1.09 R$5.51

36.70%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.88

$2.12 R$10.77

-8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R$39.47

$10.77 R$54.7

-27.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 R$18.11

$4.45 R$22.61

-19.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 R$39.94

$9.41 R$47.75

-16.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.32

$2.04 R$10.33

19.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.28

$1.32 R$6.70

23.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.43

$1.32 R$6.71

11.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.85

$1.52 R$7.69

1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.26

$1.11 R$5.61

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.65

$1.03 R$5.25

7.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.49

$0.73 R$3.70

-5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.06

$0.62 R$3.16

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.99

$1.91 R$9.70

3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 R$39.29

$7.93 R$40.23

-2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.17

$0.98 R$4.98

24.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.55

$1.87 R$9.50

11.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.29

$0.92 R$4.68

34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 R$197

$38.51 R$195

0.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.70

$1.66 R$8.43

-32.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 R$3.30

$1.01 R$5.14

-35.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 R$37.57

$5.49 R$27.84

34.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.11 R$5.61

-4.50%

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

$20.3K R$102.8K

$24.4K R$123.6K

-16.79%

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

$28.1K R$142.5K

$27.1K R$137.7K

3.50%

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

$101 R$513

$60.4 R$306

67.53%

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

$12.30 R$62.4

$14.46 R$73.4

-14.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.55 R$94.1

$19.67 R$99.8

-5.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.98 R$132

$22.80 R$116

13.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$123

$21.47 R$109

12.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 R$33.08

$6.24 R$31.64

4.49%

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

$539 R$2,737

$309 R$1,566

74.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.2K

$7,282 R$37.0K

60.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 R$228

$48.98 R$249

-8.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 R$210

$57.3 R$291

-27.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 R$387

$81.8 R$415

-6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 R$313

$62.9 R$319

-1.99%

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

$218 R$1,107

48.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R$4,293

$594 R$3,014

42.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 R$2,879

$432 R$2,194

31.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,721 R$18.9K

$1,653 R$8,390

125.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 R$7,516

$1,070 R$5,431

38.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$600 R$3,043

$604 R$3,066

-0.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

13.30%

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 Cachoeirinha: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Rio de Janeiro versus $313 in Cachoeirinha. 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 1% higher in Cachoeirinha, 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 $18.00 in Cachoeirinha. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Rio de Janeiro vs $190 in Cachoeirinha – 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 Cachoeirinha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $946 in Rio de Janeiro, $789 in Cachoeirinha – roughly 20% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,419 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,184 in Cachoeirinha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cachoeirinha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $539 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $309 in Cachoeirinha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cachoeirinha, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Rio de Janeiro at $946. In Cachoeirinha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $789 in Cachoeirinha to $946 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cachoeirinha. 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.