Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,273 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,273

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA.

Rio de Janeiro $1,273
Des Moines, IA $2,171

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Rio de Janeiro versus $3,236 in Des Moines, IA.

Rio de Janeiro $1,841
Des Moines, IA $3,236

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,409 in Rio de Janeiro versus $4,301 in Des Moines, IA.

Rio de Janeiro $2,409
Des Moines, IA $4,301

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 41% less than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 6% below, Des Moines, IA is 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 R$47.54

$19.69 $19.69

-52.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R$203

$80.8 $80.8

-50.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 R$42.28

$12.22 $12.22

-31.75%

Cappuccino

$2.29 R$11.62

$6.16 $6.16

-62.82%

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

$1.59 R$8.05

$2.93 $2.93

-45.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.10

$2.56 $2.56

-60.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 R$10.85

$4.99 $4.99

-57.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 R$18.55

$5.89 $5.89

-37.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.72

$0.91 $0.91

24.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.60

$3.03 $3.03

-31.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.36

$3.38 $3.38

-63.02%

Eggs

$2.25 R$11.39

$4.00 $4.00

-43.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 R$55.3

$9.69 $9.69

12.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 R$22.10

$9.91 $9.91

-56.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 R$48.66

$13.68 $13.68

-29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 R$14.46

$4.33 $4.33

-34.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.16

$1.51 $1.51

19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.02

$4.54 $4.54

-65.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.28

$3.68 $3.68

-50.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.10

$3.07 $3.07

-60.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.35

$2.14 $2.14

-50.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.81

$2.38 $2.38

-68.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.45

$2.19 $2.19

-68.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 R$14.90

$7.85 $7.85

-62.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 R$40.43

$14.79 $14.79

-46.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$5.98

$1.70 $1.70

-30.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 R$12.26

$3.09 $3.09

-21.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.78

$1.73 $1.73

-45.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 R$255

$58.1 $58.1

-13.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 R$6.10

$1.97 $1.97

-39.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 R$4.20

$1.23 $1.23

-32.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.48

$19.70 $19.70

-54.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.53

$0.93 $0.93

38.71%

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

$22.8K R$115.5K

$27.2K $27.2K

-16.19%

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

$34.0K R$172.1K

$25.1K $25.1K

35.03%

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

$134 R$681

$185 $185

-27.24%

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

$10.73 R$54.4

$53.6 $53.6

-79.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.84 R$116

$70.2 $70.2

-67.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.16 R$153

$63.8 $63.8

-52.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.49 R$160

$20.14 $20.14

56.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 R$39.17

$9.99 $9.99

-22.62%

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

$584 R$2,960

$1,187 $1,187

-50.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$64.9K

$12.0K $12.0K

7.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.12 R$208

$59.5 $59.5

-30.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 R$250

$42.98 $42.98

14.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 R$373

$101 $101

-27.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.9 R$334

$145 $145

-54.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 R$4,561

$1,177 $1,177

-23.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 R$2,673

$872 $872

-39.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 R$6,754

$1,738 $1,738

-23.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 R$3,790

$1,394 $1,394

-46.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,990 R$20.2K

$2,320 $2,320

71.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 R$7,908

$2,325 $2,325

-32.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 R$3,246

$3,647 $3,647

-82.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.56

81.86%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 18, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41.4%

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2% 65.5% $345

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$214 16.8%

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1% 63.5% $136

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.2%

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2% 83.7% $140

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$156 12.3%

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1% 110% $171

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$103 8.1%

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2% 51.5% $53

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$59 4.7%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4% 23.1% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$46 3.6%

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9% 83.6% $38

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $900 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 469% 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 $81.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $349 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

11:48 11:48 AM

09:48 9:48 AM

2 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

214,133

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Des Moines, IA 8,870 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rio de Janeiro the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 469% lower in Des Moines, IA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $900 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,273 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rio de Janeiro delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,273 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rio de Janeiro hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rio de Janeiro and Des Moines, IA 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 Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.