Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Johnson City, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,099 in Johnson City, TN, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in Johnson City, TN
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Johnson City, TN Living Index

Jump to prices

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,289

/mo nomad

Johnson City, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,099

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Johnson City, TN

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 Johnson City, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,289 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,099 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,289
Johnson City, TN $2,099

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $3,126 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,868
Johnson City, TN $3,126

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $4,153 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $2,448
Johnson City, TN $4,153

Rio de Janeiro is about 39% cheaper than Johnson City, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Rio de Janeiro sits 5% below the global median, while Johnson City, TN is 55% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 R$51.0

$14.27 $14.27

-29.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.44 R$205

$54.1 $54.1

-25.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 R$43.35

$9.89 $9.89

-13.55%

Cappuccino

$2.38 R$12.04

$5.32 $5.32

-55.26%

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

$1.61 R$8.18

$2.94 $2.94

-45.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.22

$1.95 $1.95

-47.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R$12.54

$4.90 $4.90

-49.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.77

$5.86 $5.86

-36.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.05

$1.01 $1.01

17.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 R$10.38

$3.92 $3.92

-47.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.49

$3.87 $3.87

-66.93%

Eggs

$2.29 R$11.60

$3.20 $3.20

-28.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 R$54.5

$7.31 $7.31

47.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 R$22.36

$13.57 $13.57

-67.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 R$49.86

$12.99 $12.99

-24.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.25

$7.75 $7.75

-63.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.03

$1.79 $1.79

-0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.13

$3.94 $3.94

-59.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.11

$3.61 $3.61

-50.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.17

$3.50 $3.50

-65.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.26

$4.20 $4.20

-75.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.92

$2.24 $2.24

-65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.38

$2.31 $2.31

-71.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R$15.27

$8.06 $8.06

-62.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$40.94

$13.10 $13.10

-38.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.03

$1.70 $1.70

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$12.73

$4.42 $4.42

-43.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.00

$2.46 $2.46

-59.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$254

$37.08 $37.08

35.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.20

$5.37 $5.37

-77.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.48 $1.48

-37.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.45

$15.07 $15.07

-40.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R$6.57

$0.88 $0.88

47.73%

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

$23.9K R$121.0K

$32.1K $32.1K

-25.59%

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

$32.9K R$166.6K

$21.7K $21.7K

51.66%

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

$133 R$676

$176 $176

-24.26%

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

$10.82 R$54.8

$52.0 $52.0

-79.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.90 R$116

$63.3 $63.3

-63.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.79 R$156

$47.50 $47.50

-35.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.85 R$161

$19.61 $19.61

62.42%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 R$40.83

$11.77 $11.77

-31.61%

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

$598 R$3,029

$1,224 $1,224

-51.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K R$68.0K

$14.6K $14.6K

-8.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 R$213

$36.93 $36.93

13.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.68 R$252

$30.74 $30.74

61.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 R$378

$86.9 $86.9

-14.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 R$348

$95.3 $95.3

-27.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R$4,578

$1,085 $1,085

-16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 R$2,684

$912 $912

-41.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 R$6,724

$2,031 $2,031

-34.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,831

$1,583 $1,583

-52.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 R$20.3K

$2,201 $2,201

82.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 R$7,910

$2,159 $2,159

-27.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 R$3,242

$3,505 $3,505

-81.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.49

83.82%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Johnson City, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$529 41.1%

Johnson City, TN

$912 43.5% 72.3% $383

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Johnson City, TN

$389 18.5% 81.2% $174

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$167 13%

Johnson City, TN

$291 13.9% 74.4% $124

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$165 12.8%

Johnson City, TN

$263 12.6% 59.7% $98

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Johnson City, TN

$112 5.4% 6.3% $6.7

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Johnson City, TN

$60 2.8% 0.3% $0.2

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$47 3.6%

Johnson City, TN

$71 3.4% 51.5% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,085 in Johnson City, TN. 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 448% higher in Johnson City, TN, 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 $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $54.0 in Johnson City, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $389 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 Johnson City, TN

🕒 Local time

11:20 11:20 AM

10:20 10:20 AM

1 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

66,027

💱 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 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Johnson City, TN 7,760 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Johnson City, TN

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 Johnson City, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johnson City, TN is pricier by about 63%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,933 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $3,148 in Johnson City, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rio de Janeiro, 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 $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro and $54.0 in Johnson City, TN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro and $2,099 in Johnson City, TN. That's a gap of about 63%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,289, than in Johnson City, TN at $2,099. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johnson City, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rio de Janeiro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rio de Janeiro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johnson City, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.