Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Latacunga Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Latacunga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $980 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $675 in Latacunga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,489 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,099 in Latacunga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,524 in Latacunga, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 45% more than Latacunga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Latacunga are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 26% lower, Latacunga 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 R$35.62

$2.47 $2.47

183.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.60 R$186

$28.31 $28.31

29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 R$32.95

$8.13 $8.13

-20.30%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$10.12

$2.55 $2.55

-21.96%

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

$1.28 R$6.51

$0.90 $0.90

42.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.57

$0.61 $0.61

47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.97

$3.01 $3.01

-41.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.52

$4.52 $4.52

-41.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.88

$1.08 $1.08

7.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.65

$1.75 $1.75

-2.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.19

$0.98 $0.98

43.88%

Eggs

$1.97 R$10.01

$1.84 $1.84

7.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 R$39.91

$5.10 $5.10

53.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 R$18.76

$5.38 $5.38

-31.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 R$40.28

$6.24 $6.24

26.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.77

$2.09 $2.09

10.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.24

$1.09 $1.09

48.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.69

$1.06 $1.06

42.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.01

$1.09 $1.09

44.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.29

$0.98 $0.98

26.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.69

$1.01 $1.01

10.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.44

$0.52 $0.52

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.11

$1.01 $1.01

-39.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 R$9.82

$5.97 $5.97

-67.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 R$44.84

$10.06 $10.06

-12.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.46

$1.54 $1.54

-17.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.78

$2.23 $2.23

-4.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.31

$0.37 $0.37

235.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$200

$23.92 $23.92

64.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.44

$1.53 $1.53

-30.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.57

$1.52 $1.52

-53.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 R$39.73

$9.84 $9.84

-20.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.42

$0.63 $0.63

68.25%

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

$20.8K R$106.0K

$25.1K $25.1K

-16.94%

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

$27.7K R$141.0K

$29.2K $29.2K

-5.25%

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

$105 R$533

$37.97 $37.97

175.82%

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

$11.85 R$60.3

$13.62 $13.62

-13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 R$94.7

$31.98 $31.98

-41.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.06 R$133

$29.88 $29.88

-12.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$123

$14.71 $14.71

64.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R$33.31

$7.59 $7.59

-13.70%

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

$554 R$2,816

$320 $320

73.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.6K

$5,864 $5,864

99.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.85 R$233

$51.8 $51.8

-11.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.26 R$210

$42.96 $42.96

-3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 R$392

$102 $102

-24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 R$317

$112 $112

-44.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,237

$121 $121

263.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,711

$79.1 $79.1

325.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 R$4,348

$253 $253

237.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 R$2,917

$201 $201

184.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,445 R$17.5K

$1,160 $1,160

197.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,474

$833 $833

76.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 R$2,805

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

9.35

21.18%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 16, 2026

Last update for Latacunga: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $440 in Rio de Janeiro versus $121 in Latacunga. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $28.00 in Latacunga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $179 – making Latacunga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Latacunga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $980 in Rio de Janeiro, $675 in Latacunga – roughly 45% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,471 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,012 in Latacunga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Latacunga, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $554 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $320 in Latacunga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% more in Rio de Janeiro, 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 Latacunga, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Rio de Janeiro at $980. In Latacunga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $675 in Latacunga to $980 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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