Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Goiana Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Goiana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $980 in Rio de Janeiro versus $754 in Goiana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,489 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,223 in Goiana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,693 in Goiana.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 30% more expensive than Goiana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 26% lower, Goiana 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 R$35.62

$5.86 R$29.83

19.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.60 R$186

$36.23 R$184

1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 R$32.95

$6.40 R$32.58

1.25%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$10.12

$1.83 R$9.32

8.74%

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

$1.28 R$6.51

$1.16 R$5.93

10.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.57

$0.61 R$3.12

47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.97

$1.59 R$8.08

10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.52

$2.14 R$10.89

24.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.88

$1.09 R$5.53

6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.65

$1.24 R$6.31

37.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.19

$1.05 R$5.32

34.29%

Eggs

$1.97 R$10.01

$1.85 R$9.42

6.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 R$39.91

$6.50 R$33.09

20.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 R$18.76

$3.63 R$18.47

1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 R$40.28

$6.24 R$31.75

26.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.77

$2.14 R$10.90

7.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.24

$0.92 R$4.70

76.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.69

$0.87 R$4.43

73.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.01

$1.15 R$5.87

36.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.29

$0.99 R$5.05

25.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.69

$1.03 R$5.27

8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.44

$0.52 R$2.66

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.11

$0.52 R$2.64

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 R$9.82

$1.58 R$8.04

22.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 R$44.84

$7.96 R$40.51

10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.46

$1.29 R$6.56

-1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.78

$2.53 R$12.87

-16.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.31

$0.87 R$4.40

42.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$200

$38.58 R$196

1.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.44

$0.88 R$4.49

21.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.57

$0.68 R$3.43

2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 R$39.73

$10.75 R$54.7

-27.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.42

$0.93 R$4.73

13.98%

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

$20.8K R$106.0K

$22.0K R$111.7K

-5.12%

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

$27.7K R$141.0K

$31.3K R$159.5K

-11.60%

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

$105 R$533

$44.50 R$226

135.35%

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

$11.85 R$60.3

$12.76 R$64.9

-7.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 R$94.7

$18.98 R$96.6

-1.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.06 R$133

$22.82 R$116

14.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$123

$21.89 R$111

10.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R$33.31

$6.78 R$34.47

-3.39%

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

$554 R$2,816

$117 R$595

373.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.6K

$4,252 R$21.6K

175.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.85 R$233

$60.6 R$308

-24.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.26 R$210

$42.40 R$216

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 R$392

$55.9 R$284

37.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 R$317

$73.0 R$371

-14.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,237

$316 R$1,609

38.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,711

$220 R$1,117

53.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 R$4,348

$572 R$2,909

49.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 R$2,917

$431 R$2,195

32.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,445 R$17.5K

$1,679 R$8,541

105.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,474

$1,112 R$5,659

32.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 R$2,805

$585 R$2,975

-5.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

-5.58%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 16, 2026

Last update for Goiana: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Rio de Janeiro and $316 in Goiana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Goiana pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $36.00 in Goiana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $158 per month, with Goiana cheaper across the board.

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 Goiana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Goiana differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($980 vs $754 including rent). Goiana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Goiana earns 6% less. 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: $440 in Rio de Janeiro versus $316 in Goiana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Goiana – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $37.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $980 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $754 in Goiana – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $754 in Goiana versus $980 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Goiana but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Goiana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Goiana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.