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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $640 in Guarapuava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,071 in Guarapuava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,501 in Guarapuava.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 49% more expensive than Guarapuava, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Guarapuava 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$35.08

$3.61 R$18.03

94.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 R$179

$21.31 R$106

67.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.16

$5.62 R$28.03

11.03%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$9.93

$1.96 R$9.79

1.53%

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

$1.34 R$6.67

$1.09 R$5.44

22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.19

$0.67 R$3.36

25.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.88

$1.96 R$9.79

-9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.31

$2.63 R$13.10

1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.56

$0.92 R$4.57

20.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.84

$1.41 R$7.06

25.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.42

$1.20 R$5.97

24.17%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.62

$1.52 R$7.58

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 R$40.47

$8.48 R$42.30

-4.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$17.71

$3.43 R$17.10

3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 R$41.17

$7.33 R$36.55

12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.58

$1.64 R$8.18

41.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.13

$0.47 R$2.34

246.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.19

$0.89 R$4.45

61.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.73

$1.20 R$6.01

29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.15

$0.94 R$4.70

30.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.76

$0.93 R$4.66

23.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.45

$0.60 R$3.01

15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.87

$0.67 R$3.35

-13.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$9.93

$1.94 R$9.66

2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.18

$7.83 R$39.09

2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.26

$1.17 R$5.83

6.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.14

$1.83 R$9.14

10.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.13

$0.86 R$4.28

43.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.49 R$197

$38.73 R$193

1.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.06 R$5.27

0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.46

$0.66 R$3.31

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 R$37.60

$6.49 R$32.37

16.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.50

$0.95 R$4.72

15.79%

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

$20.2K R$100.6K

$18.7K R$93.1K

8.05%

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

$27.2K R$135.7K

$26.7K R$133.0K

2.02%

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

$104 R$519

$72.1 R$360

44.48%

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

$11.99 R$59.8

$8.14 R$40.61

47.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 R$92.2

$18.34 R$91.5

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.17 R$131

$24.08 R$120

8.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.31 R$121

$21.43 R$107

13.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$32.07

$5.47 R$27.31

17.55%

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

$553 R$2,761

$213 R$1,065

159.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K R$57.3K

$3,403 R$17.0K

237.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 R$222

$30.26 R$151

47.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$209

$29.14 R$145

44.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$382

$69.8 R$348

9.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 R$305

$34.37 R$171

77.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,143

$214 R$1,068

100.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,618

$146 R$730

121.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 R$4,165

$504 R$2,514

65.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,894

$384 R$1,915

51.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,964 R$14.8K

$1,004 R$5,012

195.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 R$6,650

$601 R$3,000

121.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 R$2,671

$501 R$2,502

6.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

3.00%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 27, 2026

Last update for Guarapuava: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Rio de Janeiro and $214 in Guarapuava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 7% 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: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $21.00 in Guarapuava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $160 per month, with Guarapuava 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 Guarapuava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guarapuava wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Rio de Janeiro. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guarapuava the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Rio de Janeiro pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $429 in Rio de Janeiro versus $214 in Guarapuava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $553 in Rio de Janeiro versus $213 in Guarapuava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Guarapuava gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Guarapuava delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $640 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guarapuava hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Guarapuava gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.