Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,289

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David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

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Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 David actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,289 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $882 in David, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,289
David $882

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $946 in David, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,868
David $946

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,011 in David, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $2,448
David $1,011

Rio de Janeiro costs about 46% more than David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rio de Janeiro and David are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 5% lower, David 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 R$51.0

$5.52 PAB 5.52

82.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.44 R$205

$37.03 PAB 37.03

9.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 R$43.35

$7.27 PAB 7.27

17.61%

Cappuccino

$2.38 R$12.04

$3.13 PAB 3.13

-23.96%

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

$1.61 R$8.18

$1.47 PAB 1.47

9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.22

$1.52 PAB 1.52

-32.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R$12.54

$1.99 PAB 1.99

24.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.77

$2.72 PAB 2.72

36.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.05

$1.73 PAB 1.73

-31.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 R$10.38

$2.26 PAB 2.26

-9.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.49

$2.46 PAB 2.46

-47.97%

Eggs

$2.29 R$11.60

$2.41 PAB 2.41

-4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 R$54.5

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 R$22.36

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 R$49.86

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.25

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.03

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.13

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.11

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.17

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.92

$1.99 PAB 1.99

-61.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R$15.27

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$40.94

$10.18 PAB 10.18

-20.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$12.73

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.00

$0.76 PAB 0.76

30.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$254

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.20

$2.96 PAB 2.96

-58.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.66

$2.04 PAB 2.04

-54.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.45

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R$6.57

$1.07 PAB 1.07

21.50%

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

$23.9K R$121.0K

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

-4.35%

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

$32.9K R$166.6K

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

7.57%

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

$133 R$676

$184 PAB 184

-27.37%

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

$10.82 R$54.8

$28.48 PAB 28.48

-62.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.90 R$116

$49.40 PAB 49.40

-53.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.79 R$156

$31.21 PAB 31.21

-1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.85 R$161

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 R$40.83

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

$598 R$3,029

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K R$68.0K

$6,091 PAB 6,091

120.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 R$213

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.68 R$252

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 R$378

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 R$348

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R$4,578

$343 PAB 343

162.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 R$2,684

$354 PAB 354

49.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 R$6,724

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,831

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 R$20.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 R$7,910

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 R$3,242

$604 PAB 604

5.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

70.43%

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 David: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$529 41.1%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$167 13%

David

–

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$165 12.8%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

David

–

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$47 3.6%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $343 in David. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $37.00 in David. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $88.0 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

12:12 12:12 PM

10:12 10:12 AM

2 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

82,907

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rio de Janeiro David 5,510 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
David

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,933 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,323 in David. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 144% 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro and $37.00 in David. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,289. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward David – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with David. 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.