Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Campina Grande Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Campina Grande

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $625 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,054 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,483 in Campina Grande.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 51% more expensive than in Campina Grande, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Campina Grande 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.57

$3.50 R$17.87

110.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$181

$26.73 R$137

32.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.12

$6.46 R$33.00

-2.79%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.72

$0.88 R$4.49

115.91%

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

$1.29 R$6.57

$1.01 R$5.15

27.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.66

$0.53 R$2.68

71.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.95

$1.58 R$8.08

10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.98

$2.03 R$10.36

34.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.77

$1.00 R$5.13

13.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.73

$1.26 R$6.42

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.29

$1.01 R$5.15

41.58%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.42

$1.58 R$8.05

29.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.58

$6.38 R$32.63

21.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.82

$3.55 R$18.14

-1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.93

$6.94 R$35.46

15.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.76

$2.16 R$11.03

6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.04

$0.89 R$4.53

76.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.73

$0.82 R$4.18

84.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.90

$1.10 R$5.64

40.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.36

$0.86 R$4.38

44.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.70

$1.01 R$5.15

10.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.27

$0.55 R$2.83

16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.91

$0.56 R$2.84

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.21

$1.63 R$8.33

22.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.48

$7.61 R$38.90

4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.41 R$7.20

-10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.47

$2.04 R$10.40

0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.58

$0.92 R$4.69

40.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$202

$36.13 R$185

9.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.46

$0.80 R$4.08

33.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.39

$0.64 R$3.26

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.78

$8.94 R$45.68

-17.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.66

$0.97 R$4.95

14.43%

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

$20.7K R$105.7K

$17.9K R$91.5K

15.47%

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

$27.5K R$140.6K

$24.4K R$124.8K

12.65%

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

$103 R$526

$42.84 R$219

140.34%

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

$11.99 R$61.3

$8.15 R$41.66

47.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.6

$14.59 R$74.6

26.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$18.62 R$95.2

40.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$125

$21.27 R$109

14.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.40

$4.42 R$22.57

43.44%

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

$554 R$2,830

$135 R$691

309.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.2K

$4,277 R$21.9K

175.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$231

$41.40 R$212

9.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$213

$28.56 R$146

45.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$391

$68.1 R$348

12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$317

$36.31 R$186

70.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,269

$293 R$1,496

51.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,664

$172 R$881

88.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,328

$711 R$3,636

19.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,952

$399 R$2,039

44.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.7K

$492 R$2,514

643.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,538

$392 R$2,002

276.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,035

$421 R$2,154

40.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

25.89%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Campina Grande: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Rio de Janeiro and $293 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Campina Grande for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $155 per month, with Campina Grande cheaper across the board.

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 Campina Grande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Campina Grande is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $293 in Campina Grande. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Campina Grande – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $945 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $625 in Campina Grande – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Campina Grande gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Campina Grande is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Janeiro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Campina Grande gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.