Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Fort Collins, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,285 a month against $2,758 in Fort Collins, CO, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
Learn more

Rio de Janeiro Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Fort Collins, CO
Learn more

Fort Collins, CO Living Index

Jump to prices

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,285

/mo nomad

Fort Collins, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,758

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Fort Collins, CO

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 Fort Collins, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,758 in Fort Collins, CO.

Rio de Janeiro $1,285
Fort Collins, CO $2,758

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,888 in Rio de Janeiro versus $4,111 in Fort Collins, CO.

Rio de Janeiro $1,888
Fort Collins, CO $4,111

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,491 in Rio de Janeiro versus $5,464 in Fort Collins, CO.

Rio de Janeiro $2,491
Fort Collins, CO $5,464

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 53% less than in Fort Collins, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 4% below, Fort Collins, CO is 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 R$49.83

$22.70 $22.70

-56.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.34 R$201

$80.7 $80.7

-50.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 R$42.35

$11.26 $11.26

-24.69%

Cappuccino

$2.36 R$11.80

$6.17 $6.17

-61.75%

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

$1.63 R$8.13

$2.43 $2.43

-32.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.06

$2.07 $2.07

-51.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 R$12.19

$6.94 $6.94

-64.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 R$18.43

$6.99 $6.99

-47.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.72

$0.98 $0.98

17.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 R$10.34

$2.99 $2.99

-30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$2.74 $2.74

-52.92%

Eggs

$2.27 R$11.32

$4.23 $4.23

-46.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 R$54.9

$10.88 $10.88

1.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 R$21.51

$9.55 $9.55

-54.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 R$48.63

$19.30 $19.30

-49.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 R$14.12

$4.94 $4.94

-42.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.17

$1.56 $1.56

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$4.66 $4.66

-65.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.00

$5.31 $5.31

-66.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.28

$3.43 $3.43

-63.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.34

$4.56 $4.56

-76.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.75

$2.33 $2.33

-67.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.29

$1.76 $1.76

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 R$15.21

$9.95 $9.95

-69.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 R$40.84

$16.52 $16.52

-50.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$5.92

$2.50 $2.50

-52.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.92

$2.72 $2.72

-12.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.06

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 R$250

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 R$6.33

$2.43 $2.43

-47.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R$4.51

$1.91 $1.91

-52.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 R$47.13

$25.40 $25.40

-62.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R$6.65

$1.01 $1.01

31.68%

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

$23.4K R$117.0K

$36.0K $36.0K

-34.91%

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

$33.6K R$167.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

33.98%

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

$134 R$666

$213 $213

-37.38%

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

$12.23 R$61.0

$57.2 $57.2

-78.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.65 R$113

$68.9 $68.9

-67.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.56 R$158

$55.6 $55.6

-43.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.87 R$154

$29.66 $29.66

4.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 R$41.07

$11.98 $11.98

-31.30%

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

$603 R$3,011

$1,294 $1,294

-53.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K R$66.1K

$12.7K $12.7K

4.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 R$208

$59.9 $59.9

-30.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.94 R$249

$69.9 $69.9

-28.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 R$375

$79.5 $79.5

-5.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 R$341

$117 $117

-41.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 R$4,519

$1,851 $1,851

-51.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 R$2,633

$1,427 $1,427

-63.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 R$6,720

$2,733 $2,733

-50.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 R$3,865

$2,484 $2,484

-68.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,981 R$19.9K

$3,012 $3,012

32.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,562 R$7,798

$3,034 $3,034

-48.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,210

$4,352 $4,352

-85.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.77

76.22%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 6, 2026

Last update for Fort Collins, CO: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41%

Fort Collins, CO

$1.4K 52% 171% $900

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Fort Collins, CO

$386 14.1% 79.9% $171

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.1%

Fort Collins, CO

$339 12.4% 102% $171

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$164 12.7%

Fort Collins, CO

$356 13% 117% $192

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Fort Collins, CO

$147 5.4% 39% $41

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Fort Collins, CO

$12 * 0.4% 80% $48

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$48 3.7%

Fort Collins, CO

$80 2.9% 65.6% $32

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $905 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,851 in Fort Collins, CO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Collins, CO pays 577% 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 Fort Collins, CO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $386 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 Fort Collins, CO

🕒 Local time

08:55 8:55 AM

05:55 5:55 AM

3 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

148,612

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Fort Collins, CO 9,520 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Fort Collins, CO

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 Fort Collins, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro wins on cost – living expenses run 115% lower than in Fort Collins, CO. 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 577% lower in Fort Collins, CO. 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: $905 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,851 in Fort Collins, CO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Fort Collins, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,285 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,758 in Fort Collins, CO – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,758 in Fort Collins, CO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Fort Collins, CO. 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 $1,285 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 Fort Collins, CO 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 115% less than in Fort Collins, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.