Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Labrador City

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,185 a month against $2,397 in Labrador City, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Labrador City, Canada
Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,185
/mo nomad
Labrador City
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,397
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Labrador City

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,397 in Labrador City.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,185
  • Labrador City $2,397

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,737 in Rio de Janeiro versus $3,476 in Labrador City.

  • Rio de Janeiro $1,737
  • Labrador City $3,476

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $4,554 in Labrador City.

  • Rio de Janeiro $2,289
  • Labrador City $4,554

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 51% less than in Labrador City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 12% below, Labrador City is 77% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.16 R$44.89
$30.76 CA$43.25
-73.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.20 R$205
$71.6 CA$101
-48.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.52 R$41.40
$13.23 CA$18.60
-43.16%
Cappuccino
$2.10 R$11.58
$3.60 CA$5.06
-41.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 R$7.49
$1.98 CA$2.79
-31.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96 R$5.29
$2.19 CA$3.08
-56.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.98 R$10.88
$5.02 CA$7.06
-60.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 R$17.94
$5.55 CA$7.80
-41.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 R$5.97
$2.04 CA$2.87
-46.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.87 R$10.27
$2.49 CA$3.50
-24.90%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.12 R$6.19
$3.52 CA$4.96
-68.18%
Eggs
$2.20 R$12.12
$2.94 CA$4.13
-25.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.91 R$54.6
$9.99 CA$14.05
-0.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.11 R$22.62
$11.40 CA$16.03
-63.95%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.25 R$50.9
$14.44 CA$20.30
-35.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.59 R$14.26
$3.79 CA$5.33
-31.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 R$9.28
$1.36 CA$1.91
24.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.47 R$8.08
$3.67 CA$5.16
-59.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.72 R$9.45
$3.76 CA$5.29
-54.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.16 R$6.36
$2.38 CA$3.35
-51.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.00 R$5.50
$2.25 CA$3.17
-55.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.66 R$3.61
$2.49 CA$3.50
-73.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 R$3.35
$1.58 CA$2.22
-61.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.69 R$14.81
$14.03 CA$19.73
-80.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.20 R$39.64
$12.80 CA$18.00
-43.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 R$5.90
$2.82 CA$3.96
-62.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 R$12.32
$3.09 CA$4.34
-27.51%
🚌 Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.88 R$4.82
$2.27 CA$3.19
-61.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.3 R$288
$63.2 CA$88.9
-17.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 R$6.49
$2.84 CA$4.00
-58.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.68 R$3.72
$1.48 CA$2.09
-54.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.71 R$47.94
$23.70 CA$33.33
-63.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 R$6.59
$1.17 CA$1.65
2.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K R$120.4K
$27.7K CA$39.0K
-21.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0K R$170.7K
$21.6K CA$30.4K
43.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$126 R$691
$135 CA$189
-6.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.14 R$55.8
$38.74 CA$54.5
-73.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.95 R$115
$95.6 CA$134
-78.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.51 R$157
$38.32 CA$53.9
-25.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.87 R$159
$17.91 CA$25.18
61.19%
Cinema Ticket
$7.40 R$40.75
$10.75 CA$15.12
-31.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$537 R$2,955
$629 CA$885
-14.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K R$87.4K
$13.6K CA$19.1K
16.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.68 R$213
$55.0 CA$77.4
-29.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.06 R$248
$39.34 CA$55.3
14.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.6 R$378
$86.1 CA$121
-20.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.1 R$353
$104 CA$147
-38.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$768 R$4,225
$1,277 CA$1,797
-39.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 R$2,701
$1,127 CA$1,586
-56.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,458 R$8,026
$1,978 CA$2,782
-26.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$743 R$4,088
$1,710 CA$2,405
-56.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,325 R$18.3K
$4,308 CA$6,059
-22.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,552 R$8,542
$3,573 CA$5,025
-56.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rio de Janeiro
Labrador City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$674 R$3,708
$3,425 CA$4,817
-80.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.93
6.39
86.70%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: November 3, 2026

Last update for Labrador City: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rio de Janeiro
$491
Labrador City
$1.1K 130% $637
Groceries & Markets
Rio de Janeiro
$198
Labrador City
$348 75.9% $150
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rio de Janeiro
$157
Labrador City
$269 71.6% $112
Eating Out
Rio de Janeiro
$139
Labrador City
$382 175% $243
Clothing & Footwear
Rio de Janeiro
$97
Labrador City
$128 31.6% $31
Getting Around
Rio de Janeiro
$60
Labrador City
$83 36.7% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Rio de Janeiro
$43
Labrador City
$60 38.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,277 in Labrador City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Labrador City pays about 5.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37 in Rio de Janeiro vs $72 in Labrador City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $348 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🇨🇦 Labrador City
🕒 Local time
23:16 11:16 PM
22:16 10:16 PM
1 h behind Rio de Janeiro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,211,223
7,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 5.5 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.15 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.636 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rio de Janeiro Labrador City 8,740 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Labrador City

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 Labrador City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rio de Janeiro cheaper than Labrador City?
Rio de Janeiro is about 51% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rio de Janeiro or Labrador City?
On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Rio de Janeiro. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Rio de Janeiro and Labrador City?
Rent for a central apartment: $768 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,277 in Labrador City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Rio de Janeiro or in Labrador City?
Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $37 versus $72 in Labrador City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Rio de Janeiro and in Labrador City?
All in, you’ll spend $1,185 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,397 in Labrador City – Rio de Janeiro is about 51% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Rio de Janeiro or in Labrador City?
At $1,185 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,397 in Labrador City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Labrador City. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Rio de Janeiro or in Labrador City?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Labrador City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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