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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $948 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $721 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,487 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,163 in Cerquilho, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,026 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,605 in Cerquilho, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 31% more than Cerquilho, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Cerquilho are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Cerquilho 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$34.96

$6.17 R$30.68

13.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 R$176

$28.26 R$140

25.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$30.78

$7.12 R$35.41

-13.06%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.92

$1.76 R$8.76

13.64%

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

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.33 R$6.60

-3.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.46

$0.86 R$4.28

4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.75

$1.11 R$5.50

58.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.09

$2.74 R$13.63

-4.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.62

$1.14 R$5.66

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 R$8.40

$1.42 R$7.06

19.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.04

$1.26 R$6.27

12.70%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.55

$2.41 R$11.96

-20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.73

$8.10 R$40.25

-3.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.05

$1.85 R$9.17

96.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 R$39.72

$5.44 R$27.03

46.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.60

$1.77 R$8.78

31.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$1.79 R$8.90

-10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.25

$1.10 R$5.46

32.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.80

$1.57 R$7.81

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.19

$1.24 R$6.18

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.76

$0.53 R$2.63

118.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.44

$0.80 R$4.00

-13.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.07

$0.55 R$2.75

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.77

$1.28 R$6.36

53.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 R$39.28

$9.51 R$47.25

-16.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.33

$1.11 R$5.50

14.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$2.75 R$13.66

-22.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 R$6.38

$0.94 R$4.67

36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 R$191

$39.25 R$195

-2.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.54

$0.93 R$4.63

19.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$1.07 R$5.31

-33.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 R$38.70

$8.78 R$43.65

-11.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.29

$1.02 R$5.05

3.92%

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

$20.9K R$104.0K

$22.8K R$113.4K

-8.27%

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

$27.9K R$138.6K

$28.9K R$143.7K

-3.55%

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

$103 R$513

$47.88 R$238

115.71%

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

$12.22 R$60.7

$12.63 R$62.8

-3.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 R$93.5

$14.14 R$70.3

33.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.63 R$127

$22.13 R$110

15.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 R$120

$21.77 R$108

11.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$31.72

$5.28 R$26.22

20.83%

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

$551 R$2,738

$314 R$1,563

75.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$58.1K

$6,755 R$33.6K

73.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 R$228

$30.33 R$151

51.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.16 R$205

$17.72 R$88.1

132.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$380

$54.9 R$273

39.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$302

$72.3 R$359

-15.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,154

$314 R$1,561

38.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,669

$213 R$1,061

57.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 R$4,237

$574 R$2,851

48.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,926

$422 R$2,096

39.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 R$14.5K

$1,835 R$9,120

59.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 R$6,668

$1,021 R$5,074

31.43%

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 Cerquilho: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Rio de Janeiro versus $314 in Cerquilho. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Rio de Janeiro versus $28 in Cerquilho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $167 – making Cerquilho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cerquilho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro costs about 31% more than Cerquilho, 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 $1,422 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,082 in Cerquilho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $551 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $314 in Cerquilho. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% more in Rio de Janeiro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $948 in Rio de Janeiro and $721 in Cerquilho, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cerquilho costs $721 versus $948 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 Cerquilho. 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.