Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Campinas

For one person, living is cheaper in Campinas: $952 a month against $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rio de Janeiro outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Campinas, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,182
/mo nomad
Campinas
🇧🇷 Brazil
$952
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Campinas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rio de Janeiro and in Campinas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $952 in Campinas, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,182
  • Campinas $952

A couple spends around $1,750 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,625 in Campinas, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,750
  • Campinas $1,625

A family of three spends $2,318 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,298 in Campinas, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $2,318
  • Campinas $2,298

Rio de Janeiro costs about 24% more than Campinas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Campinas are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 13% lower, Campinas 30% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.08 R$48.86
$9.20 R$49.51
-1.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.25 R$200
$33.96 R$183
9.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.02 R$43.15
$8.22 R$44.23
-2.43%
Cappuccino
$2.19 R$11.78
$2.11 R$11.33
3.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 R$7.87
$1.20 R$6.46
21.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 R$5.31
$0.84 R$4.52
17.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.03 R$10.91
$2.28 R$12.29
-10.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45 R$18.55
$3.73 R$20.10
-7.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 R$5.70
$1.00 R$5.37
6.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.98 R$10.68
$1.95 R$10.48
1.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 R$6.32
$1.23 R$6.60
-4.88%
Eggs
$2.21 R$11.88
$2.32 R$12.48
-4.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.11 R$54.4
$10.20 R$54.9
-0.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.12 R$22.15
$4.62 R$24.89
-10.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.17 R$49.36
$9.64 R$51.9
-4.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 R$14.63
$2.21 R$11.89
23.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 R$9.21
$1.59 R$8.54
7.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 R$8.23
$1.42 R$7.66
7.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 R$8.94
$1.26 R$6.79
31.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.14 R$6.13
$1.16 R$6.27
-1.72%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 R$5.35
$1.15 R$6.20
-13.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 R$3.48
$0.93 R$4.98
-30.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 R$3.22
$0.80 R$4.31
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.79 R$15.04
$2.26 R$12.14
23.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.48 R$40.25
$7.48 R$40.28
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 R$5.87
$1.46 R$7.87
-25.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 R$12.56
$2.41 R$12.99
-3.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.90 R$4.82
$1.02 R$5.48
-11.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.0 R$285
$41.49 R$223
27.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 R$6.28
$1.10 R$5.92
6.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 R$4.20
$0.67 R$3.63
16.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.37 R$45.05
$8.23 R$44.32
1.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 R$6.53
$1.21 R$6.48
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5K R$115.5K
$22.0K R$118.2K
-2.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1K R$167.6K
$31.5K R$169.8K
-1.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 R$670
$61.2 R$329
103.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.03 R$54.0
$13.70 R$73.7
-26.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.88 R$112
$21.56 R$116
-3.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.35 R$153
$26.99 R$145
5.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.33 R$158
$34.77 R$187
-15.65%
Cinema Ticket
$7.62 R$40.99
$7.35 R$39.56
3.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$563 R$3,029
$402 R$2,162
40.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K R$64.8K
$10.2K R$55.1K
17.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.25 R$211
$61.7 R$332
-36.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.36 R$250
$52.4 R$282
-11.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.4 R$368
$82.2 R$442
-16.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$63.4 R$341
$73.5 R$395
-13.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$776 R$4,177
$482 R$2,593
61.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$473 R$2,547
$287 R$1,543
65.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,391 R$7,485
$1,010 R$5,435
37.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$739 R$3,977
$752 R$4,048
-1.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,393 R$18.3K
$1,943 R$10.5K
74.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,570 R$8,450
$1,227 R$6,606
27.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rio de Janeiro
Campinas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$597 R$3,212
$534 R$2,873
11.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.93
10.81
10.36%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 25, 2026

Last update for Campinas: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
$473
Campinas
$287 39.4% $186
Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
$201
Campinas
$205 2.1% $4.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
$155
Campinas
$96 37.9% $59
Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
$150
Campinas
$151 0.5% $0.8
Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
$98
Campinas
$121 24% $24
Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
$62
Campinas
$50 18.8% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
$44
Campinas
$42 4.3% $1.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Rio de Janeiro versus $482 in Campinas. 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 12% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Rio de Janeiro versus $34 in Campinas. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Rio de Janeiro vs $205 in Campinas – so Rio de Janeiro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Campinas
🕒 Local time
07:48 7:48 AM
07:48 7:48 AM
Same time as Rio de Janeiro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,211,223
1,139,047
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 5.38 BRL (1 BRL = 0.186 USD). 1 EUR = 6.01 BRL (1 BRL = 0.167 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rio de Janeiro Campinas 390 km
From you
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Campinas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Campinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Rio de Janeiro or Campinas?
Rio de Janeiro costs about 24% more than Campinas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Rio de Janeiro and in Campinas?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,774 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,428 in Campinas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Campinas?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Campinas, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $482 there versus $776 in Rio de Janeiro.
How much does it cost to live in Rio de Janeiro compared to Campinas?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro and $952 in Campinas. That makes Campinas about 19% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Rio de Janeiro and in Campinas?
Kindergarten costs $563 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $402 in Campinas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Rio de Janeiro or in Campinas?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro and $952 in Campinas. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Rio de Janeiro or Campinas?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Campinas costs $952 versus $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Rio de Janeiro or to Campinas?
If budget matters most, go with Campinas. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rio de Janeiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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