Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Foz do Iguaçu Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Foz do Iguaçu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $756 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,479 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,168 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,580 in Foz do Iguaçu, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 27% more than Foz do Iguaçu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Foz do Iguaçu are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Foz do Iguaçu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.43

$5.33 R$26.97

35.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$180

$35.84 R$181

-0.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.61

$6.25 R$31.62

3.04%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.99

$1.47 R$7.45

34.01%

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

$1.27 R$6.45

$1.12 R$5.64

13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.54

$0.38 R$1.90

136.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.93

$1.06 R$5.36

66.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.58

$2.66 R$13.45

0.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.88

$0.85 R$4.31

36.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.59

$1.34 R$6.78

26.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$1.54 R$7.77

-8.44%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$2.41 R$12.18

-17.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.72

$7.32 R$37.01

9.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.31

$3.57 R$18.05

1.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.49

$7.72 R$39.05

6.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.13

$2.03 R$10.25

18.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.99

$1.09 R$5.53

44.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.56

$0.87 R$4.42

71.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.89

$1.06 R$5.38

47.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$0.88 R$4.47

47.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.02 R$5.17

7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

$0.79 R$4.01

-13.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.93

$0.75 R$3.78

-22.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$2.64 R$13.34

-26.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.17

$7.72 R$39.04

13.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.14

$1.65 R$8.35

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.89

$2.68 R$13.58

-19.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.23

$0.89 R$4.49

38.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$199

$39.22 R$198

0.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.63

$1.11 R$5.61

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$0.71 R$3.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.30

$6.48 R$32.81

13.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.43

$0.91 R$4.61

17.58%

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

$20.4K R$103.0K

$21.0K R$106.2K

-2.99%

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

$27.1K R$137.1K

$27.4K R$138.5K

-1.05%

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

$104 R$525

$64.2 R$325

61.80%

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

$12.18 R$61.6

$17.70 R$89.6

-31.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$94.6

$17.94 R$90.8

4.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$130

$17.79 R$90.0

44.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$123

$21.51 R$109

13.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.41

$8.34 R$42.21

-20.86%

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

$542 R$2,742

$215 R$1,088

151.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.7K

$6,583 R$33.3K

79.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$224

$41.19 R$208

7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$212

$16.52 R$83.6

153.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$389

$44.82 R$227

71.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$314

$34.25 R$173

81.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,218

$293 R$1,482

49.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,672

$241 R$1,217

37.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,242

$534 R$2,704

56.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,881

$357 R$1,808

59.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.0K

$1,291 R$6,533

159.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,026

$906 R$4,583

53.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,773

$399 R$2,019

37.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.92

3.75%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Last update for Foz do Iguaçu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $293 in Foz do Iguaçu. 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 37% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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 $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $36.00 in Foz do Iguaçu. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Rio de Janeiro vs $172 in Foz do Iguaçu – so Foz do Iguaçu 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 Foz do Iguaçu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro, $756 in Foz do Iguaçu – roughly 27% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,440 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,134 in Foz do Iguaçu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $542 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $215 in Foz do Iguaçu. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Rio de Janeiro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Foz do Iguaçu, where all-in costs run around $756, than in Rio de Janeiro at $960. In Foz do Iguaçu 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 $756 in Foz do Iguaçu to $960 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Foz do Iguaçu. 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.