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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $737 in Caraguatatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,204 in Caraguatatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,672 in Caraguatatuba.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 30% more expensive than Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Caraguatatuba 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.03

$6.90 R$34.55

4.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$178

$26.11 R$131

36.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.25

$6.62 R$33.12

-2.72%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.88

$1.75 R$8.75

12.57%

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

$1.27 R$6.38

$1.06 R$5.29

19.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.49

$0.76 R$3.81

18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.83

$1.84 R$9.19

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.43

$2.78 R$13.89

-3.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.82

$0.88 R$4.41

31.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.50

$1.47 R$7.34

15.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.07

$1.19 R$5.95

18.49%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.00

$1.69 R$8.45

18.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.27

$5.47 R$27.39

47.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.11

$2.98 R$14.89

21.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.04

$7.08 R$35.43

15.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.00

$1.84 R$9.21

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.91

$1.66 R$8.33

-4.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.48

$1.36 R$6.81

9.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.81

$1.72 R$8.61

-9.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.53

$1.15 R$5.77

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.52

$0.69 R$3.44

59.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.66 R$3.31

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.90

$0.67 R$3.37

-13.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.75

$1.78 R$8.92

9.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$43.69

$7.09 R$35.49

23.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.08

$1.37 R$6.88

-11.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.77

$2.08 R$10.41

3.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.16

$0.93 R$4.64

32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$197

$20.52 R$103

91.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.57

$1.06 R$5.31

4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.57

$0.62 R$3.08

14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$36.90

$3.25 R$16.29

126.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.37

$1.06 R$5.33

0.94%

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

$20.4K R$101.9K

$13.9K R$69.6K

46.35%

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

$27.1K R$135.6K

$27.1K R$135.7K

-0.11%

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

$104 R$519

$51.7 R$259

100.83%

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

$12.18 R$61.0

$11.52 R$57.6

5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$93.6

$20.75 R$104

-9.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$128

$19.48 R$97.5

31.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$122

$14.15 R$70.8

72.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.05

$7.33 R$36.70

-9.96%

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

$542 R$2,712

$198 R$991

173.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.1K

$3,829 R$19.2K

208.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$221

$51.5 R$258

-14.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$210

$56.2 R$281

-25.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$385

$71.4 R$357

7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$310

$52.6 R$263

18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,194

$371 R$1,857

18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,654

$207 R$1,037

59.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,196

$770 R$3,853

8.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,849

$476 R$2,383

19.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$16.8K

$1,575 R$7,880

113.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$6,950

$1,153 R$5,770

20.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,743

$330 R$1,654

65.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

8.15

39.02%

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 Caraguatatuba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $371 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 66% 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 $26.00 in Caraguatatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $162 per month, with Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rio de Janeiro pays 66% 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 $371 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $737 in Caraguatatuba versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.