Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Maceio - Alagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Maceio - Alagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $952 in Rio de Janeiro versus $805 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,234 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,662 in Maceio - Alagoas.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 18% more expensive than Maceio - Alagoas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Maceio - Alagoas 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.12

$4.97 R$25.17

47.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 R$184

$21.34 R$108

70.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 R$31.74

$5.32 R$26.92

17.86%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.00

$1.88 R$9.53

5.32%

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

$1.27 R$6.42

$1.01 R$5.13

25.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.27

$0.43 R$2.16

95.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.98

$1.41 R$7.14

25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$14.04

$2.67 R$13.52

3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.60

$1.03 R$5.20

7.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.65

$1.25 R$6.31

36.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.48

$0.98 R$4.94

51.02%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$2.27 R$11.51

-11.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.77 R$39.35

$6.76 R$34.23

14.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.35

$3.28 R$16.62

10.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 R$40.88

$6.95 R$35.18

16.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.67

$2.47 R$12.48

-6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.97

$1.04 R$5.25

50.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.39

$1.23 R$6.22

18.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.67

$1.29 R$6.53

17.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.38

$1.39 R$7.02

-9.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.87

$1.13 R$5.73

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$0.54 R$2.75

18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.88

$0.61 R$3.11

-6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$1.90 R$9.62

2.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.22

$6.67 R$33.76

28.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.16

$1.38 R$7.00

-11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.40

$1.29 R$6.52

58.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 R$6.31

$0.74 R$3.75

68.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.19 R$198

$37.89 R$192

3.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.67

$0.35 R$1.75

220.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.37

$0.35 R$1.77

91.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 R$37.61

$6.06 R$30.68

22.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.66

$1.10 R$5.55

1.82%

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

$20.5K R$103.6K

$25.0K R$126.5K

-18.08%

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

$27.1K R$137.0K

$29.0K R$147.0K

-6.83%

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

$103 R$519

$73.5 R$372

39.56%

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

$12.09 R$61.2

$17.41 R$88.1

-30.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.19 R$97.1

$15.61 R$79.0

22.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.29 R$133

$22.73 R$115

15.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 R$120

$21.92 R$111

8.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 R$32.71

$5.28 R$26.72

22.35%

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

$537 R$2,716

$236 R$1,194

127.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.1K

$4,890 R$24.8K

138.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 R$229

$50.4 R$255

-10.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.03 R$208

$68.6 R$347

-40.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 R$383

$88.9 R$450

-14.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 R$303

$73.4 R$371

-18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,225

$252 R$1,277

74.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 R$1,645

$248 R$1,256

30.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 R$4,341

$544 R$2,752

57.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,917

$410 R$2,074

40.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,415 R$17.3K

$1,486 R$7,524

129.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,437

$668 R$3,381

119.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 R$2,714

$581 R$2,944

-7.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

9.5

19.26%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 7, 2026

Last update for Maceio - Alagoas: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Rio de Janeiro and $252 in Maceio - Alagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maceio - Alagoas pays 8% 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 $21.00 in Maceio - Alagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $162 per month, with Maceio - Alagoas 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 Maceio - Alagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maceio - Alagoas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Maceio - Alagoas earns 8% 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: $440 in Rio de Janeiro versus $252 in Maceio - Alagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Maceio - Alagoas – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Maceio - Alagoas gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Maceio - Alagoas is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Janeiro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Maceio - Alagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.