Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Los Alamos, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Los Alamos, NM: $1,065 a month against $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rio de Janeiro outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
52

Cost of Living Index in Los Alamos, NM
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Los Alamos, NM Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,289

/mo nomad

Los Alamos, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$1,065

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Los Alamos, NM

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 Los Alamos, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,289 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,065 in Los Alamos, NM, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,289
Los Alamos, NM $1,065

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,652 in Los Alamos, NM, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $1,868
Los Alamos, NM $1,652

A family of three spends $2,448 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $2,240 in Los Alamos, NM, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro $2,448
Los Alamos, NM $2,240

Rio de Janeiro costs about 21% more than Los Alamos, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Los Alamos, NM are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 5% lower, Los Alamos, NM 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 R$51.0

$17.10 $17.10

-41.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.44 R$205

$40.29 $40.29

0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 R$43.35

$10.04 $10.04

-14.84%

Cappuccino

$2.38 R$12.04

$4.95 $4.95

-51.92%

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

$1.61 R$8.18

$2.46 $2.46

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.22

$1.48 $1.48

-30.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R$12.54

$5.94 $5.94

-58.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.77

$7.17 $7.17

-48.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.05

$0.90 $0.90

32.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 R$10.38

$2.26 $2.26

-9.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.49

$4.41 $4.41

-70.98%

Eggs

$2.29 R$11.60

$4.03 $4.03

-43.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 R$54.5

$11.61 $11.61

-7.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 R$22.36

$9.55 $9.55

-53.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 R$49.86

$17.69 $17.69

-44.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.25

$4.80 $4.80

-41.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.03

$1.42 $1.42

25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.13

$2.85 $2.85

-43.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.11

$4.52 $4.52

-60.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.17

$1.09 $1.09

11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.26

$3.27 $3.27

-68.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.92

$1.97 $1.97

-60.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.38

$0.49 $0.49

36.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R$15.27

$10.54 $10.54

-71.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$40.94

$13.91 $13.91

-41.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.03

$2.38 $2.38

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$12.73

$3.54 $3.54

-29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$254

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.20

$3.51 $3.51

-65.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.97 $1.97

-53.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.45

$31.94 $31.94

-71.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R$6.57

$0.93 $0.93

39.78%

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

$23.9K R$121.0K

$30.7K $30.7K

-22.30%

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

$32.9K R$166.6K

$24.5K $24.5K

34.08%

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

$133 R$676

$158 $158

-15.36%

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

$10.82 R$54.8

$40.32 $40.32

-73.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.90 R$116

$72.6 $72.6

-68.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.79 R$156

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.85 R$161

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 R$40.83

$13.21 $13.21

-39.06%

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

$598 R$3,029

$1,490 $1,490

-59.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K R$68.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

-47.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 R$213

$20.08 $20.08

109.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.68 R$252

$43.91 $43.91

13.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 R$378

$105 $105

-29.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 R$348

$120 $120

-42.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R$4,578

$1,078 $1,078

-16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 R$2,684

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 R$6,724

$1,930 $1,930

-31.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,831

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 R$20.3K

$3,277 $3,277

22.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 R$7,910

$3,380 $3,380

-53.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 R$3,242

$8,229 $8,229

-92.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.57

81.58%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Los Alamos, NM: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$529 41.1%

Los Alamos, NM

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Los Alamos, NM

$338 31.7% 57.4% $123

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$167 13%

Los Alamos, NM

$271 25.4% 61.9% $103

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$165 12.8%

Los Alamos, NM

$286 26.9% 73.4% $121

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Los Alamos, NM

$130 12.3% 23.3% $25

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Los Alamos, NM

$13 * 1.3% 77.7% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$47 3.6%

Los Alamos, NM

$26 * 2.5% 43.7% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,078 in Los Alamos, NM. 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 1187% higher in Los Alamos, NM, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $40.00 in Los Alamos, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $338 – making Rio de Janeiro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 Los Alamos, NM

🕒 Local time

10:12 10:12 AM

07:12 7:12 AM

3 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

13,179

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Los Alamos, NM 9,310 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Los Alamos, NM

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 Los Alamos, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,933 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,597 in Los Alamos, NM. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,065 in Los Alamos, NM. That's a gap of about 21%.

Kindergarten costs $598 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,490 in Los Alamos, NM. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Los Alamos, NM, where all-in costs run around $1,065, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,289. In Los Alamos, NM it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Los Alamos, NM – 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 Los Alamos, NM. 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.