Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Campinas Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Campinas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,237 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,007 in Campinas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,799 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,645 in Campinas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,360 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,282 in Campinas, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 23% more than Campinas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Campinas are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 10% lower, Campinas 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R$46.85

$9.33 R$47.82

-2.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.73 R$198

$34.56 R$177

12.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 R$41.25

$8.36 R$42.84

-3.71%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.45

$2.25 R$11.55

-0.44%

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

$1.58 R$8.11

$1.30 R$6.64

21.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.24

$0.85 R$4.34

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 R$11.99

$2.28 R$11.71

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 R$16.61

$3.77 R$19.29

-14.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.61

$1.02 R$5.23

6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 R$10.12

$2.04 R$10.44

-3.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.98

$1.34 R$6.85

1.49%

Eggs

$2.28 R$11.69

$2.59 R$13.29

-11.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 R$55.5

$11.32 R$58.0

-4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 R$21.50

$4.73 R$24.25

-11.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 R$49.32

$10.58 R$54.2

-9.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.46

$2.40 R$12.29

9.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.86

$1.71 R$8.77

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R$7.86

$1.49 R$7.64

2.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.41

$1.45 R$7.41

26.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.32

$1.29 R$6.62

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.14

$1.17 R$6.00

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.96 R$4.92

-22.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.12

$0.81 R$4.16

-24.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.04

$2.38 R$12.21

23.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 R$46.13

$8.28 R$42.42

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.09

$1.53 R$7.86

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 R$11.93

$2.55 R$13.08

-8.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.75

$1.12 R$5.74

-16.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.48 R$254

$42.24 R$216

17.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.09

$1.14 R$5.82

4.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.28

$0.76 R$3.91

10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 R$46.26

$8.34 R$42.76

8.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.55

$1.27 R$6.52

0.79%

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

$23.0K R$117.7K

$22.9K R$117.2K

0.38%

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

$32.1K R$164.5K

$31.8K R$162.8K

1.07%

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

$136 R$696

$65.1 R$334

108.49%

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

$12.02 R$61.6

$15.40 R$78.9

-21.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 R$112

$22.39 R$115

-2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 R$154

$29.63 R$152

1.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 R$152

$35.52 R$182

-16.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 R$40.67

$7.71 R$39.49

2.98%

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

$551 R$2,822

$431 R$2,207

27.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.2K

$9,766 R$50.0K

36.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.13 R$206

$65.4 R$335

-38.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 R$240

$54.9 R$281

-14.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 R$369

$94.2 R$483

-23.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 R$340

$84.5 R$433

-21.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R$4,266

$428 R$2,193

94.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,468

$288 R$1,475

67.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 R$6,551

$934 R$4,788

36.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 R$3,597

$663 R$3,398

5.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 R$20.1K

$2,069 R$10.6K

89.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 R$7,567

$1,238 R$6,344

19.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,294

$616 R$3,158

4.30%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Campinas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $833 in Rio de Janeiro versus $428 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 4% 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 $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $35.00 in Campinas. Groceries tell a different story – $211 in Rio de Janeiro vs $220 in Campinas – 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 Campinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro costs about 23% more than Campinas, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,856 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,511 in Campinas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Campinas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro and $35.00 in Campinas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Campinas, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,237. In Campinas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Campinas costs $1,007 versus $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Campinas. 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.