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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $948 in Rio de Janeiro versus $768 in Castanhal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,219 in Castanhal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,671 in Castanhal.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 23% more expensive than Castanhal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Castanhal 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$34.96

$5.46 R$27.14

28.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 R$176

$26.84 R$133

32.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$30.78

$6.14 R$30.50

0.81%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.92

$1.73 R$8.60

15.61%

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

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.08 R$5.34

19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.46

$0.65 R$3.24

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.75

$1.76 R$8.76

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.09

$2.66 R$13.23

-1.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.62

$0.92 R$4.59

22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 R$8.40

$1.44 R$7.14

17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.04

$1.13 R$5.59

25.66%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.55

$1.95 R$9.67

-1.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.73

$8.32 R$41.35

-6.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.05

$3.54 R$17.61

2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 R$39.72

$7.10 R$35.26

12.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.60

$2.04 R$10.16

14.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$1.26 R$6.25

26.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.25

$1.19 R$5.92

22.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.80

$1.44 R$7.16

9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.19

$1.15 R$5.72

8.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.76

$1.11 R$5.52

4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.44

$0.69 R$3.42

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.07

$0.63 R$3.12

-1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.77

$2.11 R$10.51

-6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 R$39.28

$8.53 R$42.42

-7.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.33

$1.28 R$6.34

-0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$2.06 R$10.23

2.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 R$6.38

$0.88 R$4.38

45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 R$191

$38.11 R$189

0.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.54

$1.06 R$5.24

4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$0.71 R$3.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 R$38.70

$6.35 R$31.56

22.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.29

$1.07 R$5.32

-0.93%

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

$20.9K R$104.0K

$21.1K R$104.9K

-0.84%

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

$27.9K R$138.6K

$27.6K R$137.3K

0.90%

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

$103 R$513

$60.7 R$301

70.26%

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

$12.22 R$60.7

$13.59 R$67.6

-10.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 R$93.5

$19.07 R$94.8

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.63 R$127

$22.46 R$112

14.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 R$120

$21.19 R$105

14.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$31.72

$6.14 R$30.50

3.91%

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

$551 R$2,738

$266 R$1,322

107.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$58.1K

$6,577 R$32.7K

77.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 R$228

$48.69 R$242

-5.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.16 R$205

$42.48 R$211

-3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$380

$74.4 R$370

2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$302

$64.2 R$319

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,154

$314 R$1,561

37.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,669

$213 R$1,060

57.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 R$4,237

$591 R$2,936

44.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,926

$435 R$2,161

35.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 R$14.5K

$1,632 R$8,111

79.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 R$6,668

$1,278 R$6,353

4.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 R$2,708

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.92

3.75%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 21, 2026

Last update for Castanhal: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Rio de Janeiro and $314 in Castanhal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27 in Castanhal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $173 per month, with Castanhal 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 Castanhal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Castanhal wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Rio de Janeiro. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Castanhal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,422 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,152 in Castanhal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Rio de Janeiro versus $314 in Castanhal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Castanhal – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $948 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $768 in Castanhal – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Castanhal gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Castanhal delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $768 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Castanhal hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Castanhal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.