Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Jefferson City, MO

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,273 a month against $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Jefferson City, MO
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Jefferson City, MO Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,273

/mo nomad

Jefferson City, MO

🇺🇸 United States

$1,858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Jefferson City, MO

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rio de Janeiro and in Jefferson City, MO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO.

Rio de Janeiro $1,273
Jefferson City, MO $1,858

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,890 in Jefferson City, MO.

Rio de Janeiro $1,841
Jefferson City, MO $2,890

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,409 in Rio de Janeiro versus $3,922 in Jefferson City, MO.

Rio de Janeiro $2,409
Jefferson City, MO $3,922

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 31% less than in Jefferson City, MO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 6% below, Jefferson City, MO is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 R$47.54

$14.97 $14.97

-37.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R$203

$39.52 $39.52

1.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 R$42.28

$9.98 $9.98

-16.43%

Cappuccino

$2.29 R$11.62

$5.49 $5.49

-58.29%

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

$1.59 R$8.05

$2.04 $2.04

-22.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.10

$2.21 $2.21

-54.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 R$10.85

$5.39 $5.39

-60.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 R$18.55

$6.34 $6.34

-42.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.72

$0.91 $0.91

24.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.60

$3.26 $3.26

-35.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.36

$4.44 $4.44

-71.85%

Eggs

$2.25 R$11.39

$4.26 $4.26

-47.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 R$55.3

$4.39 $4.39

148.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 R$22.10

$9.71 $9.71

-55.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.60 R$48.66

$13.38 $13.38

-28.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 R$14.46

$4.31 $4.31

-33.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.16

$1.61 $1.61

12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.02

$4.36 $4.36

-63.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.28

$4.28 $4.28

-57.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.10

$3.21 $3.21

-62.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.35

$3.33 $3.33

-68.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.81

$2.42 $2.42

-69.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.45

$1.96 $1.96

-65.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 R$14.90

$7.97 $7.97

-63.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 R$40.43

$12.74 $12.74

-37.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$5.98

$1.94 $1.94

-39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 R$12.26

$3.83 $3.83

-36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.78

$3.08 $3.08

-69.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 R$255

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 R$6.10

$2.43 $2.43

-50.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 R$4.20

$1.20 $1.20

-30.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.48

$60.8 $60.8

-85.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.53

$0.86 $0.86

50.00%

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

$22.8K R$115.5K

$35.7K $35.7K

-36.17%

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

$34.0K R$172.1K

$25.4K $25.4K

33.61%

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

$134 R$681

$204 $204

-34.30%

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

$10.73 R$54.4

$65.7 $65.7

-83.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.84 R$116

$69.8 $69.8

-67.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.16 R$153

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.49 R$160

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 R$39.17

$15.12 $15.12

-48.88%

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

$584 R$2,960

$1,197 $1,197

-51.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$64.9K

$21.2K $21.2K

-39.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.12 R$208

$50.3 $50.3

-18.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.26 R$250

$42.76 $42.76

15.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 R$373

$104 $104

-28.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.9 R$334

$126 $126

-47.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$900 R$4,561

$887 $887

1.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 R$2,673

$709 $709

-25.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,332 R$6,754

$1,774 $1,774

-24.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$748 R$3,790

$1,564 $1,564

-52.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,990 R$20.2K

$1,537 $1,537

159.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 R$7,908

$1,743 $1,743

-10.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 R$3,246

$1,915 $1,915

-66.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.56

81.86%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 18, 2026

Last update for Jefferson City, MO: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41.4%

Jefferson City, MO

$709 38.2% 34.5% $182

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$214 16.8%

Jefferson City, MO

$341 18.3% 59.4% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.2%

Jefferson City, MO

$340 18.3% 103% $172

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$156 12.3%

Jefferson City, MO

$272 14.7% 74.5% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$103 8.1%

Jefferson City, MO

$145 7.8% 40.2% $42

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$59 4.7%

Jefferson City, MO

$21 * 1.1% 65% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$46 3.6%

Jefferson City, MO

$30 * 1.6% 33.7% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $900 in Rio de Janeiro and $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jefferson City, MO pays 199% 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: $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $341 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 Jefferson City, MO

🕒 Local time

12:22 12:22 PM

10:22 10:22 AM

2 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

43,079

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Jefferson City, MO 8,530 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Jefferson City, MO

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jefferson City, MO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 199% lower in Jefferson City, MO. 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: $900 in Rio de Janeiro versus $887 in Jefferson City, MO. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $584 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,197 in Jefferson City, MO. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $40.00 in Jefferson City, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,858 in Jefferson City, MO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Jefferson City, MO. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Rio de Janeiro and Jefferson City, MO are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Jefferson City, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.