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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $679 in Ilheus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,479 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,111 in Ilheus, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,542 in Ilheus, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 41% more than Ilheus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Ilheus are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Ilheus 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$37.09

$3.83 R$19.71

87.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$183

$27.18 R$140

30.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$33.20

$6.24 R$32.16

3.21%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$10.17

$1.80 R$9.29

9.44%

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

$1.27 R$6.56

$1.09 R$5.60

16.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.63 R$3.23

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.09

$1.85 R$9.54

-4.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.83

$2.78 R$14.31

-3.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.99

$0.95 R$4.87

22.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.75

$1.45 R$7.49

17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.27

$1.13 R$5.85

24.78%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.29

$1.97 R$10.13

1.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$41.45

$17.04 R$87.8

-52.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.64

$3.54 R$18.22

2.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$42.25

$7.00 R$36.07

17.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.16 R$11.13

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.31 R$6.73

20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.70

$1.20 R$6.18

24.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$8.04

$1.44 R$7.41

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.72

$1.14 R$5.85

14.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.68

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.52

$0.73 R$3.78

-6.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.98

$0.66 R$3.41

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$10.04

$2.14 R$11.02

-8.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.97

$7.51 R$38.70

16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.26

$1.22 R$6.27

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$11.09

$1.98 R$10.20

8.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.34

$0.92 R$4.76

33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$202

$38.24 R$197

2.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.73

$1.06 R$5.47

4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.67

$0.76 R$3.92

-6.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.98

$6.41 R$33.03

14.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.03 R$5.32

3.88%

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

$20.4K R$104.9K

$20.8K R$107.3K

-2.24%

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

$27.1K R$139.6K

$27.2K R$140.3K

-0.55%

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

$104 R$535

$61.3 R$316

69.32%

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

$12.18 R$62.8

$13.61 R$70.1

-10.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$96.3

$19.15 R$98.6

-2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$132

$22.78 R$117

12.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$126

$21.49 R$111

13.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$34.02

$6.28 R$32.33

5.10%

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

$542 R$2,791

$269 R$1,383

101.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.8K

$6,548 R$33.7K

80.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$228

$49.39 R$254

-10.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$216

$41.31 R$213

1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$396

$75.4 R$388

1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$319

$63.6 R$328

-2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,258

$164 R$843

167.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,703

$116 R$600

183.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,319

$312 R$1,608

168.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,933

$228 R$1,173

149.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.3K

$1,610 R$8,291

108.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,154

$1,164 R$5,996

19.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,823

$596 R$3,070

-8.05%

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 Ilheus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $164 in Ilheus. 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 9% higher in Ilheus, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $27.00 in Ilheus. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Rio de Janeiro vs $198 in Ilheus – so Rio de Janeiro 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 Ilheus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro, $679 in Ilheus – roughly 41% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,440 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,019 in Ilheus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro and $27.00 in Ilheus. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ilheus, where all-in costs run around $679, than in Rio de Janeiro at $960. In Ilheus 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 $679 in Ilheus to $960 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Ilheus. 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.