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 $948 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $778 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,487 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,244 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,026 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,710 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 22% 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 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$34.96

$3.96 R$19.67

77.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 R$176

$17.95 R$89.2

97.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$30.78

$3.94 R$19.59

57.11%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.92

$1.86 R$9.25

7.53%

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

$1.29 R$6.41

$0.58 R$2.86

122.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.46

$0.40 R$1.97

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.75

$1.59 R$7.89

10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.09

$2.76 R$13.70

-4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.62

$0.85 R$4.25

32.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 R$8.40

$1.45 R$7.20

16.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.04

$1.09 R$5.43

30.28%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.55

$2.15 R$10.69

-10.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.73

$10.89 R$54.1

-28.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.05

$4.63 R$23.02

-21.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 R$39.72

$9.14 R$45.43

-12.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.60

$1.97 R$9.78

18.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$1.26 R$6.27

26.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.25

$1.27 R$6.34

14.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.80

$1.45 R$7.18

8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.19

$1.10 R$5.46

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.76

$1.04 R$5.16

11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.44

$0.72 R$3.60

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.07

$0.62 R$3.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.77

$2.00 R$9.92

-1.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 R$39.28

$8.08 R$40.17

-2.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.33

$0.99 R$4.90

28.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$1.80 R$8.96

17.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 R$6.38

$0.86 R$4.30

48.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 R$191

$37.78 R$188

1.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.54

$1.61 R$8.00

-31.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$1.05 R$5.20

-32.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 R$38.70

$5.48 R$27.24

42.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.29

$1.09 R$5.42

-2.75%

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

$20.9K R$104.0K

$23.9K R$118.8K

-12.44%

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

$27.9K R$138.6K

$27.4K R$136.0K

1.85%

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

$103 R$513

$59.9 R$298

72.48%

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

$12.22 R$60.7

$14.40 R$71.6

-15.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 R$93.5

$20.33 R$101

-7.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.63 R$127

$22.08 R$110

16.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 R$120

$21.20 R$105

14.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$31.72

$6.36 R$31.61

0.31%

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

$551 R$2,738

$313 R$1,555

76.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$58.1K

$7,337 R$36.5K

59.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 R$228

$49.73 R$247

-7.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.16 R$205

$57.9 R$288

-28.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$380

$81.6 R$406

-6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$302

$62.7 R$312

-3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,154

$320 R$1,588

35.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,669

$214 R$1,066

56.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 R$4,237

$581 R$2,888

46.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,926

$423 R$2,103

39.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 R$14.5K

$1,704 R$8,470

71.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 R$6,668

$1,350 R$6,709

-0.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 R$2,708

$641 R$3,185

-15.00%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Cachoeirinha: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Rio de Janeiro versus $320 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 18% 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 $35 in Rio de Janeiro versus $18 in Cachoeirinha. Groceries tell a different story – $185 in Rio de Janeiro vs $189 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: $948 in Rio de Janeiro, $778 in Cachoeirinha – roughly 22% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,422 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,167 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 $551 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $313 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $948 in Rio de Janeiro and $778 in Cachoeirinha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $778 in Cachoeirinha to $948 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.