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: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $617 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,040 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,464 in Campina Grande.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 56% more expensive than Campina Grande, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Campina Grande 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.03

$3.53 R$17.69

103.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$178

$26.69 R$134

33.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.25

$6.17 R$30.88

4.38%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.88

$0.93 R$4.63

111.83%

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

$1.27 R$6.38

$1.01 R$5.04

25.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.49

$0.52 R$2.63

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.83

$1.57 R$7.87

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.43

$2.00 R$10.00

34.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.82

$1.04 R$5.23

11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.50

$1.20 R$6.00

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.07

$1.02 R$5.09

38.24%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.00

$1.59 R$7.97

25.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.27

$6.62 R$33.11

21.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.11

$3.61 R$18.05

0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.04

$6.63 R$33.16

23.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.00

$2.06 R$10.31

16.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.91

$0.93 R$4.64

69.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.48

$0.87 R$4.37

71.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.81

$1.09 R$5.47

43.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.53

$0.87 R$4.35

49.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.52

$0.99 R$4.96

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.57 R$2.83

19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.90

$0.55 R$2.77

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.75

$1.65 R$8.26

18.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$43.69

$7.76 R$38.81

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.08

$1.42 R$7.11

-14.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.77

$1.95 R$9.75

10.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.16

$0.88 R$4.41

39.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$197

$35.63 R$178

10.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.57

$0.84 R$4.18

32.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.57

$0.68 R$3.39

4.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$36.90

$8.77 R$43.89

-15.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.37

$1.03 R$5.17

3.88%

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

$20.4K R$101.9K

$17.7K R$88.5K

15.12%

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

$27.1K R$135.6K

$24.5K R$122.5K

10.72%

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

$104 R$519

$43.27 R$217

139.91%

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

$12.18 R$61.0

$7.90 R$39.55

54.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$93.6

$14.14 R$70.8

32.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$128

$18.81 R$94.1

36.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$122

$21.65 R$108

12.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.05

$4.61 R$23.07

43.17%

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

$542 R$2,712

$135 R$675

301.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.1K

$4,303 R$21.5K

174.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$221

$41.93 R$210

5.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$210

$28.75 R$144

45.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$385

$69.8 R$349

10.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$310

$35.78 R$179

73.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,194

$300 R$1,500

46.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,654

$177 R$887

86.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,196

$709 R$3,547

18.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,849

$411 R$2,057

38.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$16.8K

$496 R$2,480

577.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$6,950

$393 R$1,966

253.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,743

$441 R$2,206

24.33%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Campina Grande: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $300 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 24% 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: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Campina Grande for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rio de Janeiro pays 24% more on average, 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: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $300 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 $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $617 in Campina Grande – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $617 in Campina Grande versus $960 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 56% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.