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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $836 in Macaé.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,343 in Macaé.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,851 in Macaé.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 15% more expensive than Macaé, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Macaé 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.46

$5.64 R$28.57

27.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$180

$34.48 R$175

3.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.63

$6.42 R$32.52

0.31%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.99

$1.89 R$9.55

4.23%

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

$1.27 R$6.45

$1.22 R$6.19

4.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.55

$0.84 R$4.27

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.94

$1.82 R$9.20

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.59

$2.12 R$10.76

26.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.89

$1.05 R$5.33

10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.60

$1.64 R$8.31

3.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.15

$1.29 R$6.53

9.30%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.12

$2.01 R$10.17

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.75

$7.75 R$39.22

3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.32

$3.65 R$18.48

-0.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.53

$6.31 R$31.97

29.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.14

$2.43 R$12.30

-1.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.00

$1.23 R$6.25

28.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.56

$1.15 R$5.84

29.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.90

$1.38 R$7.01

13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$1.11 R$5.61

17.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.11 R$5.63

-0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.93

$0.46 R$2.34

26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.87

$1.99 R$10.08

-2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.20

$6.03 R$30.56

44.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.15

$0.86 R$4.34

40.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.90

$1.15 R$5.84

86.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.23

$0.69 R$3.51

78.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$199

$74.7 R$378

-47.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.63

$1.11 R$5.64

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$0.69 R$3.51

2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.33

$7.77 R$39.34

-5.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.43

$1.07 R$5.40

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

$20.4K R$103.1K

$18.4K R$93.0K

10.86%

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

$27.1K R$137.2K

$27.6K R$139.8K

-1.85%

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

$104 R$526

$59.7 R$302

73.92%

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

$12.18 R$61.7

$9.69 R$49.05

25.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$94.7

$18.73 R$94.8

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$130

$38.82 R$197

-33.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$123

$27.30 R$138

-10.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.44

$6.26 R$31.69

5.43%

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

$542 R$2,744

$535 R$2,710

1.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.8K

$6,559 R$33.2K

80.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$224

$45.28 R$229

-2.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$212

$29.29 R$148

43.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$389

$72.2 R$365

6.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$314

$60.8 R$308

1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,220

$353 R$1,789

24.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,674

$230 R$1,163

43.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,246

$660 R$3,343

27.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,883

$502 R$2,541

13.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.0K

$1,243 R$6,293

170.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,032

$784 R$3,972

77.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,775

$780 R$3,948

-29.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.25

0.71%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Last update for Macaé: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $353 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macaé pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $34.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $164 per month, with Macaé cheaper across the board.

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 Macaé: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Macaé differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $836 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Macaé earns 42% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $353 in Macaé. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $836 in Macaé – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $836 in Macaé versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macaé but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Macaé the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Macaé gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.