Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and La Plata, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,182 a month against $2,441 in La Plata, MD, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in La Plata, MD
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La Plata, MD Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,182

/mo nomad

La Plata, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,441

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in La Plata, MD

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 La Plata, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,441 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,182
La Plata, MD $2,441

A couple spends around $1,750 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $3,635 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,750
La Plata, MD $3,635

A family of three spends $2,318 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $4,829 in La Plata, MD, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $2,318
La Plata, MD $4,829

Rio de Janeiro is about 52% cheaper than La Plata, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Rio de Janeiro sits 13% below the global median, while La Plata, MD is 79% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.08 R$48.54

$13.52 $13.52

-32.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 R$199

$90.4 $90.4

-58.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 R$42.87

$7.62 $7.62

5.25%

Cappuccino

$2.19 R$11.71

$6.29 $6.29

-65.18%

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

$1.46 R$7.82

$2.82 $2.82

-48.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 R$5.27

$2.56 $2.56

-61.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 R$10.84

$3.46 $3.46

-41.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 R$18.43

$4.96 $4.96

-30.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.66

$1.68 $1.68

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 R$10.61

$4.42 $4.42

-55.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$6.27

$6.23 $6.23

-81.22%

Eggs

$2.21 R$11.80

$1.81 $1.81

22.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.11 R$54.1

$12.70 $12.70

-20.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 R$22.00

$8.81 $8.81

-53.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 R$49.04

$13.15 $13.15

-30.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 R$14.54

$4.89 $4.89

-44.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 R$9.15

$1.65 $1.65

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R$8.18

$6.32 $6.32

-75.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.89

$4.44 $4.44

-62.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$6.09

$3.04 $3.04

-62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.32

$2.08 $2.08

-52.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 R$3.46

$2.10 $2.10

-69.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.20

$2.72 $2.72

-77.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 R$14.94

$11.85 $11.85

-76.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 R$39.99

$14.37 $14.37

-47.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 R$5.83

$1.68 $1.68

-35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 R$12.48

$5.10 $5.10

-54.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 R$4.79

$1.94 $1.94

-53.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.0 R$283

$58.1 $58.1

-8.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 R$6.24

$2.73 $2.73

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 R$4.17

$1.67 $1.67

-53.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 R$44.75

$29.72 $29.72

-71.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.48

$1.02 $1.02

18.63%

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

$21.5K R$114.8K

$32.6K $32.6K

-34.13%

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

$31.1K R$166.5K

$30.5K $30.5K

1.94%

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

$124 R$665

$97.8 $97.8

27.21%

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

$10.03 R$53.7

$42.02 $42.02

-76.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 R$112

$73.5 $73.5

-71.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.35 R$152

$40.39 $40.39

-29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.33 R$157

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R$40.72

$15.14 $15.14

-49.67%

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

$563 R$3,010

$1,210 $1,210

-53.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K R$64.4K

$23.0K $23.0K

-47.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.25 R$210

$47.79 $47.79

-17.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$248

$36.43 $36.43

27.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 R$366

$112 $112

-38.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.4 R$339

$121 $121

-47.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 R$4,150

$1,575 $1,575

-50.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 R$2,530

$1,284 $1,284

-63.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 R$7,437

$2,492 $2,492

-44.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 R$3,951

$2,098 $2,098

-64.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,393 R$18.1K

$3,038 $3,038

11.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 R$8,396

$2,428 $2,428

-35.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 R$3,192

$6,502 $6,502

-90.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.25

90.88%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 25, 2026

Last update for La Plata, MD: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$473 40%

La Plata, MD

$1.3K 52.6% 171% $810

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$201 17%

La Plata, MD

$398 16.3% 98.2% $197

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$155 13.1%

La Plata, MD

$213 8.7% 37.3% $58

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$150 12.7%

La Plata, MD

$255 10.5% 70.4% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$98 8.3%

La Plata, MD

$143 5.8% 45.7% $45

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$62 5.2%

La Plata, MD

$77 3.2% 24.9% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$44 3.7%

La Plata, MD

$71 2.9% 62.2% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,575 in La Plata, MD. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in La Plata, MD are about 11 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Rio de Janeiro versus $90 in La Plata, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $398 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 La Plata, MD

🕒 Local time

18:48 6:48 PM

17:48 5:48 PM

1 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

10,000

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.187 USD

1 BRL = 0.168 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rio de Janeiro La Plata, MD 7,680 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
La Plata, MD

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 La Plata, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – La Plata, MD is pricier by about 106%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,774 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $3,661 in La Plata, MD. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $776 there versus $1,575 in La Plata, MD.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,182 in Rio de Janeiro and $2,441 in La Plata, MD. That makes Rio de Janeiro about 52% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Rio de Janeiro. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio de Janeiro, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in La Plata, MD at $2,441. In Rio de Janeiro it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Plata, MD 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 or specific career opportunities are the priority, La Plata, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.