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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $867 in Manaus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,347 in Manaus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,828 in Manaus.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 10% more expensive than Manaus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Manaus 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$35.08

$5.36 R$26.73

31.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 R$179

$25.32 R$126

41.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.16

$6.27 R$31.29

-0.48%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$9.93

$2.03 R$10.15

-1.97%

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

$1.34 R$6.67

$1.00 R$5.01

34.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.19

$0.71 R$3.56

18.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.88

$2.48 R$12.38

-28.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.31

$4.88 R$24.37

-45.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.56

$1.26 R$6.27

-11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.84

$1.41 R$7.02

25.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.42

$1.15 R$5.75

29.57%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.62

$2.03 R$10.13

-4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 R$40.47

$9.72 R$48.53

-16.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$17.71

$3.67 R$18.31

-3.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 R$41.17

$6.60 R$32.91

25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.58

$2.14 R$10.70

8.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.13

$1.52 R$7.58

7.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.19

$1.29 R$6.42

11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.73

$1.82 R$9.08

-14.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.15

$1.18 R$5.91

4.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.76

$1.14 R$5.67

0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.45

$0.70 R$3.47

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.87

$0.64 R$3.20

-9.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$9.93

$3.53 R$17.64

-43.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.18

$8.98 R$44.81

-10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.26

$1.36 R$6.79

-8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.14

$2.09 R$10.42

-2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.13

$0.79 R$3.93

55.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.49 R$197

$35.32 R$176

11.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.33

$0.94 R$4.69

13.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.46

$0.67 R$3.34

2.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 R$37.60

$8.87 R$44.28

-15.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.50

$1.20 R$6.00

-8.33%

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

$20.2K R$100.6K

$19.7K R$98.5K

2.05%

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

$27.2K R$135.7K

$22.7K R$113.1K

20.04%

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

$104 R$519

$106 R$531

-2.14%

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

$11.99 R$59.8

$14.15 R$70.6

-15.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 R$92.2

$22.95 R$115

-19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.17 R$131

$23.09 R$115

13.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.31 R$121

$23.24 R$116

4.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$32.07

$6.01 R$29.99

6.99%

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

$553 R$2,761

$202 R$1,009

173.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K R$57.3K

$4,758 R$23.7K

141.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 R$222

$45.65 R$228

-2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$209

$28.97 R$145

44.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$382

$54.2 R$270

41.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 R$305

$63.3 R$316

-3.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,143

$392 R$1,957

9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,618

$238 R$1,188

36.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 R$4,165

$666 R$3,324

25.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,894

$493 R$2,461

17.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,964 R$14.8K

$1,761 R$8,789

68.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 R$6,650

$1,310 R$6,538

1.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 R$2,671

$529 R$2,639

1.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

9.83

15.26%

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 Manaus: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Rio de Janeiro and $392 in Manaus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $25.00 in Manaus. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $186, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper for home cooking.

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 Manaus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rio de Janeiro pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $429 in Rio de Janeiro versus $392 in Manaus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $25.00 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 Manaus gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Manaus 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 Manaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.