Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Edwardsville, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,693 in Edwardsville, IL, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,289
/mo nomad
Edwardsville, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,693
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Edwardsville, IL

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

A single person spends $1,289 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,693 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,289
  • Edwardsville, IL $2,693

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $3,826 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,868
  • Edwardsville, IL $3,826

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $4,960 in Edwardsville, IL, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $2,448
  • Edwardsville, IL $4,960

Rio de Janeiro is about 52% cheaper than Edwardsville, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Rio de Janeiro sits 5% below the global median, while Edwardsville, IL is 99% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.06 R$51.0
$21.46 $21.46
-53.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.44 R$205
$78.0 $78.0
-48.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 R$43.35
$11.36 $11.36
-24.74%
Cappuccino
$2.38 R$12.04
$5.85 $5.85
-59.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 R$8.18
$2.53 $2.53
-36.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 R$5.22
$1.95 $1.95
-47.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.47 R$12.54
$6.26 $6.26
-60.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 R$18.77
$6.37 $6.37
-41.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 R$6.05
$1.09 $1.09
9.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 R$10.38
$3.71 $3.71
-44.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 R$6.49
$4.05 $4.05
-68.40%
Eggs
$2.29 R$11.60
$4.21 $4.21
-45.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.76 R$54.5
$13.09 $13.09
-17.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.41 R$22.36
$10.22 $10.22
-56.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.84 R$49.86
$14.58 $14.58
-32.51%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 R$14.25
$5.26 $5.26
-46.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 R$9.03
$1.48 $1.48
20.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 R$8.13
$4.22 $4.22
-62.09%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 R$9.11
$4.84 $4.84
-62.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.17
$3.08 $3.08
-60.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 R$5.26
$2.54 $2.54
-59.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 R$3.92
$1.93 $1.93
-60.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 R$3.38
$2.44 $2.44
-72.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.01 R$15.27
$10.67 $10.67
-71.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.08 R$40.94
$15.70 $15.70
-48.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 R$6.03
$1.69 $1.69
-29.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 R$12.73
$2.94 $2.94
-14.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 R$5.00
$1.75 $1.75
-43.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.1 R$254
$99.0 $99.0
-49.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 R$6.20
$2.88 $2.88
-57.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 R$4.66
$1.65 $1.65
-44.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.97 R$45.45
$32.64 $32.64
-72.52%
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
$38.5K $38.5K
-37.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K R$166.6K
$28.2K $28.2K
16.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$133 R$676
$184 $184
-27.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.82 R$54.8
$59.5 $59.5
-81.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.90 R$116
$69.5 $69.5
-67.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.79 R$156
$41.00 $41.00
-24.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.85 R$161
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 R$40.83
$14.50 $14.50
-44.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$598 R$3,029
$1,411 $1,411
-57.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K R$68.0K
$25.2K $25.2K
-46.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.04 R$213
$52.6 $52.6
-20.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.68 R$252
$41.21 $41.21
20.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.5 R$378
$87.6 $87.6
-14.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.7 R$348
$117 $117
-41.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 R$4,578
$1,744 $1,744
-48.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$529 R$2,684
$1,332 $1,332
-60.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,326 R$6,724
$2,602 $2,602
-49.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$756 R$3,831
$1,949 $1,949
-61.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,010 R$20.3K
$2,555 $2,555
56.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,560 R$7,910
$2,439 $2,439
-36.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rio de Janeiro
Edwardsville, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$640 R$3,242
$4,935 $4,935
-87.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.93
6.57
81.58%

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 Edwardsville, IL: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
$529
Edwardsville, IL
$1.3K 152% $803
Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
$215
Edwardsville, IL
$388 81% $174
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
$167
Edwardsville, IL
$313 87.5% $146
Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
$165
Edwardsville, IL
$338 105% $173
Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
$106
Edwardsville, IL
$134 26.8% $28
Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
$60
Edwardsville, IL
$117 95.6% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
$47
Edwardsville, IL
$70 49.3% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,744 in Edwardsville, IL. 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 672% higher in Edwardsville, IL, 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 $78.0 in Edwardsville, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $388 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🇺🇸 Edwardsville, IL
🕒 Local time
04:15 4:15 AM
02:15 2:15 AM
2 h behind Rio de Janeiro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,211,223
26,808
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rio de Janeiro Edwardsville, IL 8,410 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Edwardsville, IL

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 Edwardsville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Edwardsville, IL cheaper than Rio de Janeiro?
Yes – Edwardsville, IL is pricier by about 109%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,933 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $4,040 in Edwardsville, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rio de Janeiro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Rio de Janeiro and in Edwardsville, IL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro and $2,693 in Edwardsville, IL. That's a gap of about 109%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 98% less in Rio de Janeiro. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Rio de Janeiro or in Edwardsville, IL?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,289, than in Edwardsville, IL at $2,693. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edwardsville, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rio de Janeiro or Edwardsville, IL more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rio de Janeiro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Rio de Janeiro or Edwardsville, IL?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rio de Janeiro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Edwardsville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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