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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro versus $805 in Davao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,239 in Davao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,672 in Davao.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 50% more expensive than in Davao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Davao 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 R$43.56

$4.95 ₱310

71.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R$195

$26.82 ₱1,680

41.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 R$39.03

$3.98 ₱249

91.46%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.48

$2.71 ₱170

-17.34%

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

$1.56 R$7.97

$1.10 ₱68.9

41.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.32

$0.69 ₱43.37

50.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.63

$1.63 ₱102

39.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.93

$2.34 ₱146

41.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.67

$1.94 ₱121

-42.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 R$10.03

$1.10 ₱68.7

78.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.80

$0.91 ₱57.1

46.15%

Eggs

$2.22 R$11.37

$1.93 ₱121

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 R$53.0

$6.91 ₱433

49.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$22.15

$4.24 ₱266

1.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 R$48.27

$8.40 ₱526

12.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.52

$2.67 ₱167

-1.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.83

$1.07 ₱67.0

60.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.79

$2.28 ₱143

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.15

$1.16 ₱72.7

54.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$2.11 ₱132

-41.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.30

$3.54 ₱222

-70.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$1.19 ₱74.5

-41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.23

$0.66 ₱41.13

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 R$14.89

$2.42 ₱152

20.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$40.15

$7.93 ₱497

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.65

$1.24 ₱77.7

-11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.10

$1.58 ₱98.7

62.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.11

$0.33 ₱20.59

203.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$251

$13.43 ₱841

264.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.09

$0.83 ₱51.7

43.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.49

$0.23 ₱14.32

282.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.97

$1.90 ₱119

372.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.16 ₱72.4

8.62%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

10.09%

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

$32.2K R$165.1K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

67.46%

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

$132 R$675

$106 ₱6,654

23.93%

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

$10.95 R$56.1

$18.90 ₱1,183

-42.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 R$112

$30.97 ₱1,939

-29.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 R$146

$35.64 ₱2,232

-20.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$155

$3.63 ₱227

733.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 R$39.98

$4.94 ₱309

57.89%

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

$538 R$2,756

$107 ₱6,685

403.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$65.6K

$7,664 ₱479.9K

66.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 R$208

$62.3 ₱3,901

-34.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$238

$26.84 ₱1,681

72.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 R$357

$71.2 ₱4,458

-2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$331

$61.9 ₱3,873

4.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 R$4,242

$282 ₱17.6K

193.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R$2,395

$169 ₱10.6K

176.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,474

$631 ₱39.5K

100.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R$3,704

$327 ₱20.5K

121.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 R$20.7K

$1,618 ₱101.3K

149.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 R$7,743

$1,423 ₱89.1K

6.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 R$3,142

$210 ₱13.1K

192.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

8.31

43.56%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Last update for Davao: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Rio de Janeiro and $282 in Davao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 192% 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: $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Davao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $195 per month, with Davao 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 Davao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Davao is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 192% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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: $828 in Rio de Janeiro versus $282 in Davao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Davao – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,205 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $805 in Davao – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $805 in Davao versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Davao but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Davao the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Davao 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.

Safety-wise, Rio de Janeiro and Davao are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Davao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.