Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Coamo

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $1,704 in Coamo, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,289
/mo nomad
Coamo
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,704
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Coamo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rio de Janeiro and in Coamo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,704 in Coamo.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,289
  • Coamo $1,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,673 in Coamo.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,868
  • Coamo $2,673

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro versus $3,643 in Coamo.

  • Rio de Janeiro $2,448
  • Coamo $3,643

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 24% less than in Coamo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 5% below, Coamo is 26% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.06 R$51.0
$16.88 $16.88
-40.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.44 R$205
$81.8 $81.8
-50.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 R$43.35
$8.78 $8.78
-2.62%
Cappuccino
$2.38 R$12.04
$3.68 $3.68
-35.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 R$8.18
$1.89 $1.89
-14.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 R$5.22
$1.46 $1.46
-29.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.47 R$12.54
$2.97 $2.97
-16.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 R$18.77
$5.12 $5.12
-27.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 R$6.05
$2.12 $2.12
-43.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 R$10.38
$2.03 $2.03
0.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 R$6.49
$0.98 $0.98
30.61%
Eggs
$2.29 R$11.60
$4.92 $4.92
-53.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.76 R$54.5
$12.49 $12.49
-13.85%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.41 R$22.36
$9.53 $9.53
-53.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.84 R$49.86
$13.42 $13.42
-26.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 R$14.25
$5.09 $5.09
-44.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 R$9.03
$2.53 $2.53
-29.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 R$8.13
$4.84 $4.84
-66.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 R$9.11
$4.85 $4.85
-62.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.17
$3.69 $3.69
-66.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 R$5.26
$3.85 $3.85
-72.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 R$3.92
$2.96 $2.96
-73.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 R$3.38
$1.63 $1.63
-58.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.01 R$15.27
$11.87 $11.87
-74.64%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.08 R$40.94
$15.43 $15.43
-47.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 R$6.03
$1.45 $1.45
-17.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 R$12.73
$2.05 $2.05
22.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 R$5.00
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.1 R$254
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 R$6.20
$2.45 $2.45
-50.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 R$4.66
$1.51 $1.51
-39.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.97 R$45.45
$41.84 $41.84
-78.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 R$6.57
$0.99 $0.99
31.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K R$121.0K
$39.9K $39.9K
-40.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K R$166.6K
$28.0K $28.0K
17.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$133 R$676
$325 $325
-59.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.82 R$54.8
$67.8 $67.8
-84.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.90 R$116
$70.3 $70.3
-67.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.79 R$156
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.85 R$161
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 R$40.83
$7.12 $7.12
13.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$598 R$3,029
$822 $822
-27.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K R$68.0K
$12.5K $12.5K
7.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.04 R$213
$56.2 $56.2
-25.22%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.68 R$252
$61.5 $61.5
-19.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.5 R$378
$110 $110
-32.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.7 R$348
$113 $113
-39.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 R$4,578
$638 $638
41.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$529 R$2,684
$452 $452
17.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,326 R$6,724
$1,470 $1,470
-9.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$756 R$3,831
$954 $954
-20.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,010 R$20.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,560 R$7,910
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rio de Janeiro
Coamo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$640 R$3,242
$2,771 $2,771
-76.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.93
6.55
82.14%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Coamo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
$529
Coamo
$452 14.7% $78
Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
$215
Coamo
$367 71.1% $153
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
$167
Coamo
$464 177% $296
Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
$165
Coamo
$244 47.9% $79
Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
$106
Coamo
$153 45% $48
Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
$60
Coamo
$10 * 83.3% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
$47
Coamo
$14 * 69.6% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $903 in Rio de Janeiro and $638 in Coamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Coamo pays 333% 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: $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $82.0 in Coamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $367 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🇵🇷 Coamo
🕒 Local time
18:09 6:09 PM
17:09 5:09 PM
1 h behind Rio de Janeiro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,211,223
40,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rio de Janeiro Coamo 5,210 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Coamo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Coamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Rio de Janeiro and in Coamo?
Rio de Janeiro and Coamo differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,289 vs $1,704 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 333% lower in Coamo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Rio de Janeiro and in Coamo?
Rent for a central apartment: $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $638 in Coamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Rio de Janeiro and Coamo?
Childcare runs $598 in Rio de Janeiro versus $822 in Coamo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $82.0 in Coamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,704 in Coamo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Coamo. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Rio de Janeiro and Coamo?
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.
Is Rio de Janeiro or Coamo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Rio de Janeiro and Coamo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Rio de Janeiro or Coamo?
Expats usually find Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Coamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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