Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Nova Iguacu Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Nova Iguacu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $705 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,106 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,507 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 36% more expensive than Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Nova Iguacu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$37.09

$2.83 R$14.55

154.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$183

$23.82 R$123

49.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$33.20

$7.39 R$38.09

-12.86%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$10.17

$1.83 R$9.41

7.65%

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

$1.27 R$6.56

$1.00 R$5.15

27.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.52 R$2.70

73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.09

$1.64 R$8.44

7.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.83

$1.34 R$6.90

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.99

$1.09 R$5.64

6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.75

$1.28 R$6.60

32.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.27

$1.05 R$5.43

34.29%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.29

$1.85 R$9.51

8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$41.45

$7.44 R$38.35

8.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.64

$2.64 R$13.59

37.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$42.25

$6.64 R$34.21

23.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$1.24 R$6.37

93.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.25 R$6.43

26.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.70

$0.87 R$4.46

71.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$8.04

$1.60 R$8.25

-2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.72

$0.92 R$4.76

41.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.68

$0.92 R$4.73

19.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.52

$0.38 R$1.95

78.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.98

$0.35 R$1.78

65.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$10.04

$1.70 R$8.75

14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.97

$5.87 R$30.22

48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.26

$0.93 R$4.78

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$11.09

$1.25 R$6.43

72.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.34

$1.29 R$6.64

-4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$202

$45.89 R$236

-14.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.73

$0.88 R$4.54

26.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.67

$1.03 R$5.28

-31.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.98

$8.47 R$43.62

-12.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.00 R$5.15

7.00%

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

$20.4K R$104.9K

$22.5K R$116.1K

-9.70%

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

$27.1K R$139.6K

$29.0K R$149.5K

-6.63%

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

$104 R$535

$45.70 R$235

127.16%

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

$12.18 R$62.8

$10.61 R$54.6

14.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$96.3

$18.78 R$96.8

-0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$132

$21.49 R$111

19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$126

$21.85 R$113

11.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$34.02

$5.28 R$27.22

25.00%

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

$542 R$2,791

$66.7 R$344

711.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.8K

$1,719 R$8,856

586.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$228

$53.7 R$277

-17.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$216

$34.14 R$176

22.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$396

$59.4 R$306

29.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$319

$55.1 R$284

12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,258

$295 R$1,517

48.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,703

$224 R$1,156

47.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,319

$577 R$2,974

45.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,933

$401 R$2,063

42.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.3K

$949 R$4,887

253.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,154

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,823

$236 R$1,215

132.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.92

3.75%

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 Nova Iguacu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $295 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 132% 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 $24.00 in Nova Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $145 per month, with Nova Iguacu 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 Nova Iguacu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Nova Iguacu differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $705 including rent). Nova Iguacu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 132% 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: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $295 in Nova Iguacu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $705 in Nova Iguacu – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nova Iguacu runs roughly 17% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $705 in Nova Iguacu versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Iguacu but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Iguacu 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.

Expats usually find Nova Iguacu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.