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 $953 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $672 in Latacunga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,460 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,085 in Latacunga, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,967 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,498 in Latacunga, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 42% more than Latacunga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Latacunga are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Latacunga 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$35.08

$2.44 $2.44

188.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 R$179

$27.80 $27.80

28.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.16

$8.19 $8.19

-23.81%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$9.93

$2.51 $2.51

-20.72%

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

$1.34 R$6.67

$0.85 $0.85

57.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.19

$0.62 $0.62

35.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.88

$2.95 $2.95

-39.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.31

$4.55 $4.55

-41.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.56

$1.13 $1.13

-1.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.84

$1.68 $1.68

5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.42

$1.02 $1.02

46.08%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.62

$1.82 $1.82

6.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 R$40.47

$4.91 $4.91

65.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$17.71

$5.29 $5.29

-32.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 R$41.17

$6.21 $6.21

32.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.58

$2.12 $2.12

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.13

$1.05 $1.05

55.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.19

$1.06 $1.06

35.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.73

$1.03 $1.03

50.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.15

$0.98 $0.98

25.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.76

$0.98 $0.98

17.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.45

$0.48 $0.48

43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.87

$0.97 $0.97

-40.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$9.93

$5.92 $5.92

-66.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.18

$10.04 $10.04

-19.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.26

$1.51 $1.51

-17.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.14

$2.22 $2.22

-8.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.13

$0.37 $0.37

232.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.49 R$197

$23.46 $23.46

68.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.46 $1.46

-26.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.46

$1.48 $1.48

-53.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 R$37.60

$9.81 $9.81

-23.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.50

$0.66 $0.66

66.67%

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

$20.2K R$100.6K

$24.9K $24.9K

-19.14%

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

$27.2K R$135.7K

$28.8K $28.8K

-5.49%

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

$104 R$519

$36.88 $36.88

182.27%

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

$11.99 R$59.8

$13.61 $13.61

-11.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 R$92.2

$32.40 $32.40

-42.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.17 R$131

$29.99 $29.99

-12.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.31 R$121

$14.84 $14.84

63.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$32.07

$7.59 $7.59

-15.28%

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

$553 R$2,761

$315 $315

75.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K R$57.3K

$5,795 $5,795

98.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 R$222

$52.9 $52.9

-15.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$209

$44.14 $44.14

-4.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$382

$102 $102

-25.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 R$305

$110 $110

-44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,143

$120 $120

256.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,618

$81.1 $81.1

299.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 R$4,165

$255 $255

227.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,894

$198 $198

192.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,964 R$14.8K

$1,122 $1,122

164.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 R$6,650

$749 $749

77.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 R$2,671

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Latacunga: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Rio de Janeiro versus $120 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 $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $28.00 in Latacunga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $176 – 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: $953 in Rio de Janeiro, $672 in Latacunga – roughly 42% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,429 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,008 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 $553 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $315 in Latacunga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% 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.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $953 in Rio de Janeiro and $672 in Latacunga, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $672 in Latacunga to $953 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.