Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Kingstown

For one person, living costs are similar in Rio de Janeiro and in Kingstown: $1,285 and $1,321 a month, rent and utilities included.

63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
64

Cost of Living Index in Kingstown
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Kingstown Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,285

/mo nomad

Kingstown

🇻🇨 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

$1,321

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Kingstown

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 Kingstown actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,285 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,321 in Kingstown, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,285
Kingstown $1,321

A couple spends around $1,888 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,994 in Kingstown, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,888
Kingstown $1,994

A family of three spends $2,491 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,666 in Kingstown, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $2,491
Kingstown $2,666

Rio de Janeiro is about 3% cheaper than Kingstown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Kingstown are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 4% lower, Kingstown 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 R$49.83

$6.33 EC$17.08

57.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.34 R$201

$37.40 EC$101

7.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 R$42.35

$10.36 EC$27.98

-18.15%

Cappuccino

$2.36 R$11.80

$4.01 EC$10.84

-41.15%

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

$1.63 R$8.13

$2.33 EC$6.28

-30.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.06

$1.82 EC$4.91

-44.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 R$12.19

$1.69 EC$4.57

44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 R$18.43

$2.21 EC$5.95

66.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.72

$3.15 EC$8.49

-63.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 R$10.34

$2.16 EC$5.82

-4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$1.43 EC$3.86

-9.79%

Eggs

$2.27 R$11.32

$4.61 EC$12.44

-50.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 R$54.9

$13.19 EC$35.60

-16.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 R$21.51

$3.86 EC$10.42

11.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 R$48.63

$12.25 EC$33.09

-20.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 R$14.12

$9.78 EC$26.41

-71.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.17

$3.48 EC$9.40

-47.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$9.89 EC$26.70

-83.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.00

$5.99 EC$16.16

-69.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.28

$3.89 EC$10.50

-67.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.34

$3.88 EC$10.48

-72.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.75

$2.84 EC$7.67

-73.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.29

$2.17 EC$5.87

-69.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 R$15.21

$4.15 EC$11.20

-26.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 R$40.84

$16.74 EC$45.20

-51.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$5.92

$2.75 EC$7.43

-56.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.92

$2.46 EC$6.65

-2.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.06

$1.19 EC$3.21

-15.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 R$250

$50.2 EC$136

-0.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 R$6.33

$11.24 EC$30.36

-88.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R$4.51

$1.80 EC$4.87

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 R$47.13

$29.10 EC$78.6

-67.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R$6.65

$3.22 EC$8.69

-58.70%

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

$23.4K R$117.0K

$38.6K EC$104.3K

-39.36%

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

$33.6K R$167.6K

$30.4K EC$82.0K

10.58%

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

$134 R$666

$75.3 EC$203

77.24%

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

$12.23 R$61.0

$33.71 EC$91.0

-63.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.65 R$113

$51.7 EC$140

-56.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.56 R$158

$32.27 EC$87.1

-2.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.87 R$154

$4.66 EC$12.58

562.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 R$41.07

$4.60 EC$12.42

78.91%

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

$603 R$3,011

$105 EC$283

476.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K R$66.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 R$208

$63.6 EC$172

-34.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.94 R$249

$61.3 EC$166

-18.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 R$375

$74.4 EC$201

0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 R$341

$94.0 EC$254

-27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 R$4,519

$284 EC$768

218.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 R$2,633

$329 EC$887

60.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 R$6,720

$565 EC$1,525

138.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 R$3,865

$474 EC$1,280

63.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,981 R$19.9K

$589 EC$1,590

575.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,562 R$7,798

$599 EC$1,616

160.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,210

$1,069 EC$2,886

-39.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

7.5

59.07%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 6, 2026

Last update for Kingstown: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41%

Kingstown

$329 24.9% 37.7% $199

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Kingstown

$421 31.9% 96.2% $206

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.1%

Kingstown

$161 12.2% 4.6% $7.7

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$164 12.7%

Kingstown

$159 12.1% 2.8% $4.5

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Kingstown

$132 10% 24.9% $26

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Kingstown

$75 5.7% 25.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$48 3.7%

Kingstown

$41 3.2% 13.6% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $905 in Rio de Janeiro versus $284 in Kingstown. 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 66% higher in Kingstown, 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 $37.00 in Kingstown. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Rio de Janeiro vs $421 in Kingstown – so Rio de Janeiro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇻🇨 Kingstown

🕒 Local time

08:25 8:25 AM

07:25 7:25 AM

1 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

25,720 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.331 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.03 XCD (1 XCD = 0.331 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Kingstown 4,460 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Kingstown

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 Kingstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Kingstown is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,927 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,982 in Kingstown. 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.

Public transport costs about 0% less in Rio de Janeiro. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $603 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $105 in Kingstown. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,285, than in Kingstown at $1,321. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingstown 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.

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