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: $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro versus $723 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,123 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,523 in Campina Grande.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 67% more expensive than in Campina Grande, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Campina Grande 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 R$43.35

$4.45 R$22.69

91.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R$194

$28.83 R$147

31.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 R$38.85

$6.68 R$34.07

14.07%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.43

$0.98 R$5.00

128.57%

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

$1.56 R$7.93

$1.02 R$5.19

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.29

$0.57 R$2.93

82.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.57

$1.50 R$7.65

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.86

$2.15 R$10.96

53.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.65

$1.14 R$5.84

-2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 R$9.99

$1.57 R$8.02

24.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.77

$1.04 R$5.30

27.88%

Eggs

$2.22 R$11.32

$1.79 R$9.10

24.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 R$52.8

$6.46 R$32.94

60.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$22.04

$4.07 R$20.76

6.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 R$48.04

$7.50 R$38.22

25.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.46

$1.32 R$6.75

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.79

$1.34 R$6.81

28.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.76

$0.73 R$3.70

108.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.11

$1.22 R$6.24

46.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.25 R$6.36

-1.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.04 R$5.32

-0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.56

$0.49 R$2.52

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.21

$0.74 R$3.80

-14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 R$14.82

$1.71 R$8.71

70.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$39.97

$7.52 R$38.36

4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.62

$1.09 R$5.55

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.04

$1.53 R$7.80

67.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.09

$0.99 R$5.04

1.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$250

$37.83 R$193

29.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.06

$0.85 R$4.34

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.47

$0.70 R$3.55

25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.76

$3.33 R$16.99

169.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.19 R$6.06

5.88%

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

$23.3K R$119.1K

$19.1K R$97.5K

22.09%

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

$32.2K R$164.3K

$32.1K R$163.6K

0.49%

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

$132 R$672

$112 R$571

17.63%

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

$10.95 R$55.9

$9.60 R$48.94

14.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 R$112

$17.03 R$86.9

28.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 R$145

$18.75 R$95.6

52.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$154

$28.76 R$147

5.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 R$39.80

$4.80 R$24.46

62.50%

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

$538 R$2,743

$80.5 R$411

568.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$65.3K

$11.6K R$59.2K

10.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 R$207

$36.82 R$188

10.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$236

$27.48 R$140

68.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 R$355

$69.9 R$357

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$330

$42.27 R$216

52.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 R$4,222

$257 R$1,311

221.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R$2,384

$189 R$964

147.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,444

$582 R$2,968

117.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R$3,687

$348 R$1,774

107.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 R$20.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 R$7,707

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 R$3,127

$388 R$1,981

57.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

138.60%

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 Campina Grande: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Rio de Janeiro and $257 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 58% 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: $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $29.00 in Campina Grande for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $165 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 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 58% 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: $828 in Rio de Janeiro versus $257 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 $29.00 versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,205 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $723 in Campina Grande – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $723 in Campina Grande versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Campina Grande but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Campina Grande the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 67% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.