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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Rio de Janeiro versus $768 in Catanduva.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,253 in Catanduva.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,738 in Catanduva.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 24% more expensive than Catanduva, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.12

$7.15 R$36.21

2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 R$184

$32.26 R$163

12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 R$31.74

$6.86 R$34.72

-8.60%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.00

$1.76 R$8.89

12.50%

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

$1.27 R$6.42

$1.27 R$6.41

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.27

$0.77 R$3.89

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.98

$1.79 R$9.04

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$14.04

$2.71 R$13.73

2.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.60

$0.94 R$4.77

18.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.65

$1.83 R$9.24

-6.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.48

$1.14 R$5.76

29.82%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$1.82 R$9.23

9.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 R$39.35

$9.92 R$50.2

-21.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.35

$4.09 R$20.69

-11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 R$40.88

$8.22 R$41.61

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.67

$2.09 R$10.60

10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.97

$1.24 R$6.26

26.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.39

$1.42 R$7.21

2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.67

$0.69 R$3.51

120.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.38

$0.88 R$4.43

43.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.87

$0.94 R$4.74

23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$0.93 R$4.73

-31.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.88

$0.67 R$3.40

-14.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$1.82 R$9.21

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.22

$7.75 R$39.25

10.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.16

$1.38 R$6.98

-11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.40

$1.99 R$10.08

3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 R$6.31

$0.87 R$4.39

43.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.19 R$198

$38.58 R$195

1.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.67

$1.12 R$5.66

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.37

$0.58 R$2.92

15.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 R$37.61

$7.65 R$38.73

-2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.66

$1.03 R$5.21

8.74%

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

$20.5K R$103.6K

$22.2K R$112.4K

-7.84%

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

$27.1K R$137.0K

$28.2K R$142.5K

-3.89%

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

$103 R$519

$50.9 R$257

101.69%

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

$12.09 R$61.2

$6.17 R$31.26

95.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 R$97.1

$16.49 R$83.5

16.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.29 R$133

$22.13 R$112

18.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 R$120

$21.66 R$110

9.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 R$32.71

$6.32 R$32.00

2.22%

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

$537 R$2,716

$332 R$1,681

61.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.1K

$8,798 R$44.5K

32.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 R$229

$54.5 R$276

-17.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 R$208

$35.99 R$182

14.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 R$383

$74.3 R$376

1.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 R$303

$55.0 R$278

8.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,225

$317 R$1,605

38.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R$1,645

$220 R$1,115

47.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 R$4,341

$574 R$2,908

49.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,917

$435 R$2,204

32.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,415 R$17.3K

$1,393 R$7,052

145.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,437

$1,125 R$5,694

30.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 R$2,714

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.17

1.43%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 7, 2026

Last update for Catanduva: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Rio de Janeiro and $317 in Catanduva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $32.00 in Catanduva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $184 per month, with Catanduva 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 Catanduva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Catanduva differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($952 vs $768 including rent). Catanduva is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,427 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,152 in Catanduva 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: $440 in Rio de Janeiro versus $317 in Catanduva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Catanduva – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Catanduva gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Catanduva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.