Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Embu das Artes Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Embu das Artes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $873 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,446 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,402 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,019 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 39% more than Embu das Artes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Embu das Artes are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Embu das Artes 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 R$48.53

$6.75 R$34.60

40.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R$201

$38.32 R$196

2.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 R$43.74

$8.65 R$44.35

-1.39%

Cappuccino

$2.32 R$11.90

$2.17 R$11.11

6.91%

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

$1.59 R$8.13

$1.38 R$7.06

15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.81 R$4.14

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.65

$2.90 R$14.88

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.91

$4.24 R$21.73

-22.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$1.17 R$5.99

-5.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.42

$1.82 R$9.34

11.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.95

$1.13 R$5.79

20.35%

Eggs

$2.24 R$11.48

$2.61 R$13.36

-14.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 R$53.4

$8.68 R$44.51

20.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 R$21.81

$4.48 R$22.95

-5.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 R$50.1

$10.64 R$54.6

-8.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 R$13.45

$2.68 R$13.75

-2.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.31

$1.75 R$8.99

4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$1.64 R$8.39

-3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.35

$1.78 R$9.12

2.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.34 R$6.86

-4.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.22

$1.24 R$6.36

-17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.94 R$4.84

-25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.44

$0.79 R$4.03

-15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.00

$2.71 R$13.92

8.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.79

$8.72 R$44.70

-2.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.97

$1.61 R$8.25

-27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.64

$2.59 R$13.27

-4.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.99 R$5.09

-2.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$257

$49.07 R$252

2.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 R$6.07

$1.26 R$6.48

-6.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.46

$1.02 R$5.22

-14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 R$45.51

$9.34 R$47.90

-4.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.44

$1.23 R$6.31

2.44%

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

$23.6K R$121.2K

$23.5K R$120.4K

0.65%

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

$32.9K R$168.6K

$33.1K R$169.9K

-0.77%

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

$136 R$697

$45.56 R$234

198.53%

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

$11.93 R$61.1

$15.03 R$77.0

-20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 R$111

$17.76 R$91.0

21.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 R$154

$21.68 R$111

38.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.51 R$151

$23.69 R$121

24.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 R$39.59

$7.88 R$40.38

-2.03%

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

$550 R$2,819

$429 R$2,201

28.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.3K

$7,396 R$37.9K

80.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 R$206

$55.3 R$283

-27.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 R$245

$58.4 R$299

-18.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 R$373

$95.4 R$489

-23.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$334

$84.2 R$432

-22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 R$4,207

$296 R$1,517

177.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R$2,554

$219 R$1,121

127.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 R$6,585

$661 R$3,390

94.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R$3,673

$459 R$2,355

55.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 R$19.9K

$1,801 R$9,234

115.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 R$7,595

$1,142 R$5,857

29.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,329

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

11.12

7.28%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Last update for Embu das Artes: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Rio de Janeiro versus $296 in Embu das Artes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $38.00 in Embu das Artes. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Rio de Janeiro vs $215 in Embu das Artes – so Rio de Janeiro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Embu das Artes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro, $873 in Embu das Artes – roughly 39% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,826 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,310 in Embu das Artes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro and $873 in Embu das Artes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Embu das Artes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Embu das Artes, where all-in costs run around $873, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,217. In Embu das Artes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $873 in Embu das Artes to $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Embu das Artes. 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.