Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Nakhon Ratchasima Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Nakhon Ratchasima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro versus $799 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,294 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,402 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,788 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 52% more expensive than in Nakhon Ratchasima, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Nakhon Ratchasima 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 R$48.53

$3.00 ฿99.0

215.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R$201

$26.55 ฿877

47.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 R$43.74

$6.38 ฿211

33.70%

Cappuccino

$2.32 R$11.90

$2.01 ฿66.3

15.42%

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

$1.59 R$8.13

$0.55 ฿18.17

189.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.30 ฿9.86

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.65

$1.87 ฿61.9

21.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.91

$2.76 ฿91.3

19.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$1.69 ฿56.0

-34.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.42

$1.30 ฿43.08

56.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.95

$1.28 ฿42.35

6.25%

Eggs

$2.24 R$11.48

$1.54 ฿50.8

45.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 R$53.4

$15.68 ฿518

-33.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 R$21.81

$2.71 ฿89.6

56.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 R$50.1

$10.30 ฿340

-5.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 R$13.45

$3.29 ฿109

-20.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.31

$1.28 ฿42.34

42.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$1.97 ฿65.2

-19.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.35

$2.02 ฿66.9

-9.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.21 ฿40.05

5.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.22

$1.06 ฿34.91

-3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$1.30 ฿43.03

-46.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.44

$0.36 ฿11.86

86.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.00

$2.83 ฿93.5

3.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.79

$18.13 ฿599

-52.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.97

$1.68 ฿55.6

-30.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.64

$3.03 ฿100.0

-18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.48 ฿15.89

102.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$257

$19.78 ฿654

153.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 R$6.07

$1.03 ฿34.13

14.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.46

$1.15 ฿38.16

-24.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 R$45.51

$7.42 ฿245

19.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.44

$1.36 ฿45.08

-7.35%

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

$23.6K R$121.2K

$46.0K ฿1.5M

-48.59%

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

$32.9K R$168.6K

$27.3K ฿903.1K

20.34%

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

$136 R$697

$89.9 ฿2,969

51.34%

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

$11.93 R$61.1

$11.69 ฿386

2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 R$111

$19.68 ฿650

10.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 R$154

$48.99 ฿1,619

-38.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.51 R$151

$15.40 ฿509

91.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 R$39.59

$4.93 ฿163

56.59%

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

$550 R$2,819

$180 ฿5,943

205.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.3K

$14.9K ฿491.5K

-10.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 R$206

$52.3 ฿1,727

-23.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 R$245

$30.02 ฿992

59.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 R$373

$79.9 ฿2,639

-8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$334

$68.2 ฿2,253

-4.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 R$4,207

$220 ฿7,278

272.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R$2,554

$162 ฿5,352

207.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 R$6,585

$502 ฿16.6K

155.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R$3,673

$425 ฿14.1K

68.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 R$19.9K

$3,331 ฿110.1K

16.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 R$7,595

$1,761 ฿58.2K

-15.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,329

$625 ฿20.7K

3.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

5.1

133.92%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $821 in Rio de Janeiro and $220 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 4% 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: $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $241, 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 Nakhon Ratchasima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Nakhon Ratchasima differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,217 vs $799 including rent). Nakhon Ratchasima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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: $821 in Rio de Janeiro versus $220 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Rio de Janeiro pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $799 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Ratchasima but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Ratchasima 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.

Safety-wise, Rio de Janeiro and Nakhon Ratchasima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nakhon Ratchasima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.