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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,205 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $919 in Guarulhos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,712 in Guarulhos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,292 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,504 in Guarulhos, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 31% more than Guarulhos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Guarulhos are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Guarulhos 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 R$43.35

$8.83 R$45.05

-3.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R$194

$38.26 R$195

-0.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 R$38.85

$8.47 R$43.17

-10.04%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.43

$2.48 R$12.66

-9.68%

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

$1.56 R$7.93

$1.36 R$6.93

14.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.29

$0.85 R$4.34

22.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.57

$2.26 R$11.53

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.86

$3.70 R$18.89

-10.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.65

$1.02 R$5.22

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 R$9.99

$1.79 R$9.14

9.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.77

$1.34 R$6.81

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.22 R$11.32

$2.73 R$13.93

-18.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 R$52.8

$11.68 R$59.6

-11.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$22.04

$4.85 R$24.73

-10.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 R$48.04

$10.42 R$53.1

-9.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.46

$2.30 R$11.71

14.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.79

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.76

$1.48 R$7.54

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.11

$1.42 R$7.26

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.27 R$6.49

-3.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.19 R$6.07

-13.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.56

$0.93 R$4.75

-24.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.21

$0.84 R$4.29

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 R$14.82

$2.40 R$12.22

21.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$39.97

$9.74 R$49.66

-19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.62

$1.51 R$7.72

-27.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.04

$2.52 R$12.83

1.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.09

$1.12 R$5.71

-10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$250

$102 R$522

-52.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.06

$1.18 R$6.03

0.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.47

$0.69 R$3.51

27.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.76

$8.30 R$42.34

8.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.23 R$6.29

2.44%

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

$23.3K R$119.1K

$22.5K R$114.8K

3.70%

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

$32.2K R$164.3K

$33.2K R$169.1K

-2.80%

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

$132 R$672

$70.0 R$357

88.06%

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

$10.95 R$55.9

$15.34 R$78.2

-28.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 R$112

$21.72 R$111

1.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 R$145

$26.90 R$137

5.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$154

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 R$39.80

$9.82 R$50.1

-20.57%

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

$538 R$2,743

$420 R$2,144

27.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$65.3K

$9,859 R$50.3K

29.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 R$207

$62.6 R$319

-35.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$236

$55.2 R$282

-16.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 R$355

$90.6 R$462

-23.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$330

$83.0 R$423

-22.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 R$4,222

$343 R$1,748

141.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R$2,384

$152 R$776

207.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,444

$965 R$4,919

31.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R$3,687

$752 R$3,833

-3.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 R$20.6K

$1,873 R$9,550

115.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 R$7,707

$1,452 R$7,404

4.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 R$3,127

$363 R$1,850

69.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

11.25

6.04%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Last update for Guarulhos: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $828 in Rio de Janeiro versus $343 in Guarulhos. 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 69% 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 $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $38.00 in Guarulhos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $222 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Guarulhos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro costs about 31% more than Guarulhos, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,807 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,379 in Guarulhos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro and $38.00 in Guarulhos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro and $919 in Guarulhos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guarulhos, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,205. In Guarulhos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Guarulhos costs $919 versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Guarulhos. 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.