Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Durham, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,554 in Durham, NC, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Durham, NC
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Durham, NC Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,289

/mo nomad

Durham, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,554

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Durham, NC

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,554 in Durham, NC.

Rio de Janeiro $1,289
Durham, NC $2,554

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro versus $3,914 in Durham, NC.

Rio de Janeiro $1,868
Durham, NC $3,914

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro versus $5,274 in Durham, NC.

Rio de Janeiro $2,448
Durham, NC $5,274

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 50% less than in Durham, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 5% below, Durham, NC is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 R$51.0

$15.60 $15.60

-35.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.44 R$205

$103 $103

-60.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 R$43.35

$10.06 $10.06

-15.01%

Cappuccino

$2.38 R$12.04

$4.61 $4.61

-48.37%

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

$1.61 R$8.18

$3.15 $3.15

-48.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.22

$2.06 $2.06

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R$12.54

$5.85 $5.85

-57.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.77

$6.96 $6.96

-46.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.05

$1.18 $1.18

0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 R$10.38

$4.96 $4.96

-58.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.49

$4.45 $4.45

-71.24%

Eggs

$2.29 R$11.60

$3.48 $3.48

-34.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 R$54.5

$19.27 $19.27

-44.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 R$22.36

$16.78 $16.78

-73.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 R$49.86

$17.16 $17.16

-42.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.25

$5.73 $5.73

-50.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.03

$1.85 $1.85

-3.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.13

$3.76 $3.76

-57.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.11

$4.60 $4.60

-60.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.17

$2.29 $2.29

-46.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.26

$3.89 $3.89

-73.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.92

$2.71 $2.71

-71.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.38

$1.97 $1.97

-65.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R$15.27

$7.98 $7.98

-62.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$40.94

$15.09 $15.09

-46.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.03

$1.48 $1.48

-19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$12.73

$4.00 $4.00

-37.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.00

$1.52 $1.52

-34.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$254

$25.28 $25.28

98.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.20

$1.96 $1.96

-37.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.66

$0.60 $0.60

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.45

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R$6.57

$0.96 $0.96

35.42%

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

$23.9K R$121.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-31.87%

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

$32.9K R$166.6K

$24.8K $24.8K

32.65%

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

$133 R$676

$224 $224

-40.43%

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

$10.82 R$54.8

$56.2 $56.2

-80.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.90 R$116

$70.9 $70.9

-67.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.79 R$156

$49.70 $49.70

-38.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.85 R$161

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 R$40.83

$13.19 $13.19

-38.97%

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

$598 R$3,029

$1,542 $1,542

-61.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K R$68.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 R$213

$44.17 $44.17

-4.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.68 R$252

$34.03 $34.03

45.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 R$378

$92.3 $92.3

-19.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 R$348

$135 $135

-49.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R$4,578

$1,710 $1,710

-47.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 R$2,684

$1,220 $1,220

-56.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 R$6,724

$2,543 $2,543

-47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,831

$2,210 $2,210

-65.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 R$20.3K

$2,757 $2,757

45.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 R$7,910

$2,680 $2,680

-41.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 R$3,242

$4,585 $4,585

-86.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.81

75.18%

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 Durham, NC: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$529 41.1%

Durham, NC

$1.2K 47.8% 131% $691

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Durham, NC

$459 18% 114% $244

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$167 13%

Durham, NC

$351 13.7% 110% $184

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$165 12.8%

Durham, NC

$274 10.7% 66.3% $109

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Durham, NC

$137 5.4% 30% $32

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Durham, NC

$36 1.4% 39.3% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$47 3.6%

Durham, NC

$76 3% 62.2% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $903 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,710 in Durham, NC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 617% 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 $103 in Durham, NC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $459 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 Durham, NC

🕒 Local time

10:28 10:28 AM

09:28 9:28 AM

1 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

283,506

💱 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 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Durham, NC 7,550 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Durham, NC

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 Durham, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Durham, NC. 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 617% lower in Durham, NC. 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: $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,710 in Durham, NC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rio de Janeiro runs roughly 98% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $598 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,542 in Durham, NC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,554 in Durham, NC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Durham, NC. 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 $1,289 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 Durham, NC 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 98% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.