Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Nassau

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,285 a month against $4,276 in Nassau, rent and utilities included – about $35,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
Learn more

Rio de Janeiro Living Index
210

Cost of Living Index in Nassau
Learn more

Nassau Living Index

Jump to prices

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,285

/mo nomad

Nassau

🇧🇸 Bahamas

$4,276

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Nassau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rio de Janeiro and in Nassau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro versus $4,276 in Nassau.

Rio de Janeiro $1,285
Nassau $4,276

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,888 in Rio de Janeiro versus $6,846 in Nassau.

Rio de Janeiro $1,888
Nassau $6,846

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,491 in Rio de Janeiro versus $9,416 in Nassau.

Rio de Janeiro $2,491
Nassau $9,416

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 70% less than in Nassau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 4% below, Nassau is 219% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.98 R$49.83

$39.41 BSD 39.41

-74.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.34 R$201

$199 BSD 199

-79.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 R$42.35

$11.90 BSD 11.90

-28.74%

Cappuccino

$2.36 R$11.80

$5.63 BSD 5.63

-58.08%

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

$1.63 R$8.13

$3.32 BSD 3.32

-50.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.06

$1.94 BSD 1.94

-47.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 R$12.19

$4.99 BSD 4.99

-51.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 R$18.43

$8.92 BSD 8.92

-58.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.72

$4.04 BSD 4.04

-71.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 R$10.34

$5.65 BSD 5.65

-63.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.42

$6.88 BSD 6.88

-81.25%

Eggs

$2.27 R$11.32

$7.42 BSD 7.42

-69.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 R$54.9

$10.53 BSD 10.53

4.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 R$21.51

$18.50 BSD 18.50

-76.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 R$48.63

$26.89 BSD 26.89

-63.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 R$14.12

$5.67 BSD 5.67

-50.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.17

$3.56 BSD 3.56

-48.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$5.24 BSD 5.24

-69.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.00

$10.54 BSD 10.54

-82.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.28

$2.91 BSD 2.91

-56.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.34

$5.45 BSD 5.45

-80.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.75

$4.82 BSD 4.82

-84.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.29

$2.82 BSD 2.82

-76.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 R$15.21

$15.19 BSD 15.19

-79.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 R$40.84

$34.45 BSD 34.45

-76.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$5.92

$5.52 BSD 5.52

-78.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.92

$4.85 BSD 4.85

-50.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.06

$2.56 BSD 2.56

-60.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.2 R$250

$153 BSD 153

-67.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 R$6.33

$7.80 BSD 7.80

-83.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R$4.51

$3.04 BSD 3.04

-70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.44 R$47.13

$49.61 BSD 49.61

-80.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R$6.65

$1.55 BSD 1.55

-14.19%

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

$23.4K R$117.0K

$30.4K BSD 30.4K

-22.98%

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

$33.6K R$167.6K

$43.0K BSD 43.0K

-21.90%

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

$134 R$666

$397 BSD 397

-66.39%

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

$12.23 R$61.0

$72.6 BSD 72.6

-83.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.65 R$113

$110 BSD 110

-79.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.56 R$158

$195 BSD 195

-83.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.87 R$154

$43.44 BSD 43.44

-28.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.23 R$41.07

$19.95 BSD 19.95

-58.75%

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

$603 R$3,011

$865 BSD 865

-30.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K R$66.1K

$16.7K BSD 16.7K

-20.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.62 R$208

$48.13 BSD 48.13

-13.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.94 R$249

$120 BSD 120

-58.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 R$375

$128 BSD 128

-41.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 R$341

$135 BSD 135

-49.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 R$4,519

$1,487 BSD 1,487

-39.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 R$2,633

$1,995 BSD 1,995

-73.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 R$6,720

$4,733 BSD 4,733

-71.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 R$3,865

$3,863 BSD 3,863

-79.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,981 R$19.9K

$5,409 BSD 5,409

-26.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,562 R$7,798

$3,329 BSD 3,329

-53.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,210

$3,391 BSD 3,391

-81.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

7.38

61.65%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 6, 2026

Last update for Nassau: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41%

Nassau

$2K 46% 278% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Nassau

$661 15.3% 208% $447

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.1%

Nassau

$580 13.4% 244% $412

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$164 12.7%

Nassau

$482 11.1% 194% $318

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Nassau

$194 4.5% 83.5% $88

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Nassau

$186 4.3% 210% $126

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$48 3.7%

Nassau

$235 5.4% 389% $187

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $905 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,487 in Nassau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nassau pays 427% 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: $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $199 in Nassau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $661 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇸 Nassau

🕒 Local time

10:04 10:04 AM

09:04 9:04 AM

1 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

259,300 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Bahamian Dollar BSD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

1 BSD = 1 USD

1 BSD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BSD, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

Bahamian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1 BSD (1 BSD = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 BSD (1 BSD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Nassau 6,480 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Nassau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nassau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 233% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 427% lower in Nassau. 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: $905 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,487 in Nassau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,285 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $4,276 in Nassau – a 233% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rio de Janeiro runs roughly 204% less than in Nassau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,285 in Rio de Janeiro versus $4,276 in Nassau, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Nassau. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 233% less than in Nassau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.