Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Kansas City, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,693 in Kansas City, KS, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 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
132

Cost of Living Index in Kansas City, KS
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Kansas City, KS Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,289

/mo nomad

Kansas City, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$2,693

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Kansas City, KS

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 Kansas City, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,289 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,693 in Kansas City, KS, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,289
Kansas City, KS $2,693

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $4,087 in Kansas City, KS, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,868
Kansas City, KS $4,087

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $5,482 in Kansas City, KS, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $2,448
Kansas City, KS $5,482

Rio de Janeiro is about 52% cheaper than Kansas City, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Rio de Janeiro sits 5% below the global median, while Kansas City, KS is 99% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 R$51.0

$23.66 $23.66

-57.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.44 R$205

$81.4 $81.4

-50.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 R$43.35

$12.44 $12.44

-31.27%

Cappuccino

$2.38 R$12.04

$6.15 $6.15

-61.30%

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

$1.61 R$8.18

$3.14 $3.14

-48.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.22

$2.52 $2.52

-59.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R$12.54

$5.11 $5.11

-51.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.77

$9.14 $9.14

-59.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.05

$1.07 $1.07

11.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 R$10.38

$3.46 $3.46

-40.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.49

$5.13 $5.13

-75.05%

Eggs

$2.29 R$11.60

$4.47 $4.47

-48.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 R$54.5

$13.87 $13.87

-22.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 R$22.36

$9.63 $9.63

-54.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 R$49.86

$13.78 $13.78

-28.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.25

$4.21 $4.21

-33.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.03

$2.08 $2.08

-14.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.13

$5.76 $5.76

-72.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.11

$5.53 $5.53

-67.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.17

$3.39 $3.39

-64.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.26

$3.85 $3.85

-72.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.92

$2.34 $2.34

-67.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.38

$2.16 $2.16

-68.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R$15.27

$9.59 $9.59

-68.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$40.94

$17.31 $17.31

-53.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.03

$1.80 $1.80

-33.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$12.73

$3.76 $3.76

-33.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.00

$1.47 $1.47

-32.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$254

$54.2 $54.2

-7.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.20

$4.88 $4.88

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.27 $1.27

-27.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.45

$41.88 $41.88

-78.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R$6.57

$1.02 $1.02

27.45%

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

$23.9K R$121.0K

$34.5K $34.5K

-30.71%

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

$32.9K R$166.6K

$24.8K $24.8K

32.47%

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

$133 R$676

$202 $202

-33.99%

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

$10.82 R$54.8

$54.8 $54.8

-80.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.90 R$116

$66.4 $66.4

-65.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.79 R$156

$113 $113

-72.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.85 R$161

$63.7 $63.7

-50.02%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 R$40.83

$15.24 $15.24

-47.18%

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

$598 R$3,029

$448 $448

33.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K R$68.0K

$21.4K $21.4K

-37.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 R$213

$60.0 $60.0

-29.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.68 R$252

$43.36 $43.36

14.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 R$378

$105 $105

-28.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 R$348

$145 $145

-52.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R$4,578

$1,510 $1,510

-40.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 R$2,684

$1,226 $1,226

-56.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 R$6,724

$2,771 $2,771

-52.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,831

$2,180 $2,180

-65.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 R$20.3K

$2,198 $2,198

82.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 R$7,910

$2,178 $2,178

-28.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 R$3,242

$3,127 $3,127

-79.55%

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 10, 2026

Last update for Kansas City, KS: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$529 41.1%

Kansas City, KS

$1.2K 45.5% 132% $696

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Kansas City, KS

$403 15% 87.9% $189

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$167 13%

Kansas City, KS

$323 12% 93.5% $156

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$165 12.8%

Kansas City, KS

$367 13.6% 122% $202

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Kansas City, KS

$159 5.9% 50.2% $53

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Kansas City, KS

$71 2.7% 19.1% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$47 3.6%

Kansas City, KS

$143 5.3% 206% $97

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,510 in Kansas City, KS. 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 389% higher in Kansas City, KS, 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 $81.0 in Kansas City, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $403 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 Kansas City, KS

🕒 Local time

14:54 2:54 PM

12:54 12:54 PM

2 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

463,202

💱 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 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Kansas City, KS 8,720 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Kansas City, KS

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 Kansas City, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kansas City, KS costs about 109% more than Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,933 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $4,040 in Kansas City, KS. 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.

Kindergarten costs $598 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $448 in Kansas City, KS. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Kansas City, KS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,289, than in Kansas City, KS at $2,693. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kansas City, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Rio de Janeiro costs $1,289 versus $2,693 in Kansas City, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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