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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro versus $869 in Imperatriz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,799 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,355 in Imperatriz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,360 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,841 in Imperatriz.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 42% more expensive than in Imperatriz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 10% lower, Imperatriz 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R$47.01

$5.97 R$30.70

53.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.73 R$199

$34.38 R$177

12.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 R$41.39

$7.05 R$36.24

14.18%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.49

$1.89 R$9.74

18.52%

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

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.09 R$5.62

44.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.26

$0.47 R$2.42

117.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 R$12.03

$1.83 R$9.40

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 R$16.66

$3.28 R$16.85

-1.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.63

$1.27 R$6.51

-14.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 R$10.16

$1.53 R$7.89

28.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$7.01

$1.19 R$6.11

14.29%

Eggs

$2.28 R$11.73

$1.90 R$9.76

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 R$55.7

$10.48 R$53.9

3.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 R$21.57

$4.01 R$20.63

4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 R$49.49

$7.65 R$39.36

25.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.51

$2.34 R$12.06

12.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.89

$1.25 R$6.42

38.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R$7.89

$1.07 R$5.48

42.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.44

$1.52 R$7.82

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.34

$1.18 R$6.08

4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.16

$1.17 R$5.99

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.81

$0.72 R$3.69

2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.13

$0.80 R$4.10

-23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.09

$2.40 R$12.34

22.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 R$46.29

$8.08 R$41.56

11.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.11

$1.26 R$6.46

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 R$11.98

$1.85 R$9.51

25.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.77

$0.83 R$4.28

12.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.48 R$254

$40.26 R$207

22.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.11

$1.26 R$6.49

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.30

$0.72 R$3.68

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 R$46.42

$7.50 R$38.57

20.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.57

$1.20 R$6.16

6.67%

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

$23.0K R$118.1K

$24.9K R$128.2K

-7.90%

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

$32.1K R$165.1K

$34.3K R$176.2K

-6.33%

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

$136 R$698

$71.1 R$366

90.93%

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

$12.02 R$61.8

$10.82 R$55.7

11.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 R$113

$20.76 R$107

5.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 R$155

$25.59 R$132

17.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 R$152

$25.68 R$132

15.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 R$40.81

$7.69 R$39.52

3.25%

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

$551 R$2,832

$271 R$1,395

103.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.5K

$6,562 R$33.7K

102.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.13 R$206

$47.45 R$244

-15.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 R$241

$52.8 R$272

-11.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 R$370

$91.1 R$468

-20.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 R$341

$73.4 R$377

-9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R$4,281

$339 R$1,741

145.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,477

$236 R$1,216

103.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 R$6,573

$735 R$3,781

73.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 R$3,609

$397 R$2,041

76.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 R$20.2K

$1,382 R$7,108

184.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 R$7,593

$1,101 R$5,662

34.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,305

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

11.06

7.87%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 12, 2026

Last update for Imperatriz: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $833 in Rio de Janeiro and $339 in Imperatriz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $34.00 in Imperatriz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $190 per month, with Imperatriz 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 Imperatriz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imperatriz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,856 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,304 in Imperatriz to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $833 in Rio de Janeiro versus $339 in Imperatriz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Imperatriz – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Imperatriz versus $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imperatriz but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Imperatriz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Imperatriz is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Janeiro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Imperatriz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.