Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Mogi das Cruzes Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Mogi das Cruzes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $847 in Mogi das Cruzes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,479 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,257 in Mogi das Cruzes, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,997 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,666 in Mogi das Cruzes, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 13% more than Mogi das Cruzes, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Mogi das Cruzes are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Mogi das Cruzes 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.46

$7.40 R$37.48

-2.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$180

$22.83 R$116

55.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.63

$5.58 R$28.25

15.41%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.99

$1.43 R$7.22

37.76%

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

$1.27 R$6.45

$0.84 R$4.24

51.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.55

$0.78 R$3.96

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.94

$1.84 R$9.32

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.59

$2.18 R$11.05

22.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.89

$0.87 R$4.41

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.60

$1.65 R$8.37

3.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.15

$1.13 R$5.74

24.78%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.12

$2.35 R$11.92

-14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.75

$7.44 R$37.65

8.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.32

$3.18 R$16.10

13.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.53

$8.28 R$41.93

-0.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.14

$1.95 R$9.89

23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.00

$1.69 R$8.54

-6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.56

$1.44 R$7.29

3.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.90

$1.65 R$8.35

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$1.46 R$7.42

-10.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.20 R$6.09

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

$0.90 R$4.55

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.93

$0.59 R$2.98

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.87

$1.83 R$9.27

6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.20

$8.23 R$41.66

6.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.15

$1.36 R$6.90

-11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.90

$2.01 R$10.18

6.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.23

$1.03 R$5.19

19.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$199

$88.5 R$448

-55.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.63

$0.88 R$4.47

26.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$0.62 R$3.14

14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.33

$4.39 R$22.23

67.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.43

$1.07 R$5.44

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

$20.4K R$103.1K

$12.5K R$63.4K

62.68%

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

$27.1K R$137.2K

$14.1K R$71.5K

91.83%

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

$104 R$526

$52.0 R$263

99.75%

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

$12.18 R$61.7

$10.13 R$51.3

20.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$94.7

$21.93 R$111

-14.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$130

$28.35 R$144

-9.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$123

$10.84 R$54.9

124.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.44

$7.17 R$36.31

-7.95%

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

$542 R$2,744

$181 R$916

199.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.8K

$8,696 R$44.0K

35.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$224

$32.13 R$163

37.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$212

$31.71 R$161

32.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$389

$53.3 R$270

44.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$314

$40.19 R$203

54.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,220

$336 R$1,702

30.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,674

$245 R$1,239

35.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,246

$667 R$3,380

25.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,883

$351 R$1,776

62.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.0K

$1,517 R$7,679

121.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,032

$1,253 R$6,342

10.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,775

$337 R$1,707

62.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.17

1.43%

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 Mogi das Cruzes: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $336 in Mogi das Cruzes. 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 63% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $23.00 in Mogi das Cruzes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $181 – making Mogi das Cruzes 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 Mogi das Cruzes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro costs about 13% more than Mogi das Cruzes, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,440 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,271 in Mogi das Cruzes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 125% less in Mogi das Cruzes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $542 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $181 in Mogi das Cruzes. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mogi das Cruzes, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Rio de Janeiro at $960. In Mogi das Cruzes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mogi das Cruzes costs $847 versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Mogi das Cruzes. 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.