Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Fredericksburg, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,544 in Fredericksburg, VA, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,289
/mo nomad
Fredericksburg, VA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,544
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Fredericksburg, VA

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 Fredericksburg, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,289 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,544 in Fredericksburg, VA, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,289
  • Fredericksburg, VA $2,544

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $3,669 in Fredericksburg, VA, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,868
  • Fredericksburg, VA $3,669

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $4,795 in Fredericksburg, VA, rent included.

  • Rio de Janeiro $2,448
  • Fredericksburg, VA $4,795

Rio de Janeiro is about 49% cheaper than Fredericksburg, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Rio de Janeiro sits 5% below the global median, while Fredericksburg, VA is 88% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.06 R$51.0
$27.60 $27.60
-63.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.44 R$205
$78.8 $78.8
-48.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 R$43.35
$11.39 $11.39
-24.93%
Cappuccino
$2.38 R$12.04
$5.43 $5.43
-56.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 R$8.18
$3.11 $3.11
-48.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 R$5.22
$2.39 $2.39
-56.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.47 R$12.54
$6.09 $6.09
-59.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 R$18.77
$9.92 $9.92
-62.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 R$6.05
$1.29 $1.29
-7.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.05 R$10.38
$3.69 $3.69
-44.44%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.28 R$6.49
$1.78 $1.78
-28.09%
Eggs
$2.29 R$11.60
$3.40 $3.40
-32.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.76 R$54.5
$8.61 $8.61
24.97%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.41 R$22.36
$9.44 $9.44
-53.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.84 R$49.86
$10.94 $10.94
-10.05%
Apples (1kg)
$2.81 R$14.25
$1.28 $1.28
119.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 R$9.03
$1.26 $1.26
41.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 R$8.13
$5.10 $5.10
-68.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.80 R$9.11
$5.76 $5.76
-68.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.17
$2.91 $2.91
-58.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 R$5.26
$3.80 $3.80
-72.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.77 R$3.92
$2.68 $2.68
-71.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 R$3.38
$2.68 $2.68
-75.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.01 R$15.27
$8.38 $8.38
-64.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.08 R$40.94
$12.01 $12.01
-32.72%
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
$1.51 $1.51
66.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.99 R$5.00
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.1 R$254
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 R$6.20
$4.12 $4.12
-70.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.92 R$4.66
$1.63 $1.63
-43.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.97 R$45.45
$24.75 $24.75
-63.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 R$6.57
$0.97 $0.97
34.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K R$121.0K
$37.0K $37.0K
-35.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K R$166.6K
$26.8K $26.8K
22.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$133 R$676
$182 $182
-26.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.82 R$54.8
$43.85 $43.85
-75.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.90 R$116
$79.2 $79.2
-71.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.79 R$156
$25.34 $25.34
21.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.85 R$161
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.05 R$40.83
$11.70 $11.70
-31.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$598 R$3,029
$3,268 $3,268
-81.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.4K R$68.0K
$40.8K $40.8K
-67.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.04 R$213
$72.4 $72.4
-41.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.68 R$252
$44.24 $44.24
12.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.5 R$378
$86.7 $86.7
-14.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.7 R$348
$125 $125
-44.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$903 R$4,578
$1,700 $1,700
-46.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$529 R$2,684
$1,303 $1,303
-59.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,326 R$6,724
$3,431 $3,431
-61.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$756 R$3,831
$2,035 $2,035
-62.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,010 R$20.3K
$3,222 $3,222
24.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,560 R$7,910
$3,192 $3,192
-51.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rio de Janeiro
Fredericksburg, VA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$640 R$3,242
$4,675 $4,675
-86.32%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.93
6.4
86.41%

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 Fredericksburg, VA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
$529
Fredericksburg, VA
$1.3K 146% $774
Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
$215
Fredericksburg, VA
$334 55.7% $120
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
$167
Fredericksburg, VA
$305 82.6% $138
Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
$165
Fredericksburg, VA
$392 138% $227
Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
$106
Fredericksburg, VA
$148 39.6% $42
Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
$60
Fredericksburg, VA
$12 * 79.5% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
$47
Fredericksburg, VA
$49 4% $1.9

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,700 in Fredericksburg, VA. 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 631% higher in Fredericksburg, VA, 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 $79.0 in Fredericksburg, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $334 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🇺🇸 Fredericksburg, VA
🕒 Local time
15:42 3:42 PM
14:42 2:42 PM
1 h behind Rio de Janeiro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,211,223
28,118
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rio de Janeiro Fredericksburg, VA 7,690 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Fredericksburg, VA

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 Fredericksburg, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Rio de Janeiro and in Fredericksburg, VA compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro, $2,544 in Fredericksburg, VA – roughly 97% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Rio de Janeiro compared to Fredericksburg, VA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,933 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $3,816 in Fredericksburg, VA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Rio de Janeiro and Fredericksburg, VA?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro and $79.0 in Fredericksburg, VA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 56% more in Fredericksburg, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,289, than in Fredericksburg, VA at $2,544. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fredericksburg, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Rio de Janeiro and Fredericksburg, VA?
It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro to $2,544 in Fredericksburg, VA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Rio de Janeiro and Fredericksburg, VA?
If budget matters most, go with Rio de Janeiro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fredericksburg, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Rio de Janeiro vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?