Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Paducah, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $2,052 in Paducah, KY, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
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Rio de Janeiro Living Index
100

Cost of Living Index in Paducah, KY
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Paducah, KY Living Index

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Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,289

/mo nomad

Paducah, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,052

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rio de Janeiro and in Paducah, KY

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 Paducah, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,052 in Paducah, KY.

Rio de Janeiro $1,289
Paducah, KY $2,052

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro versus $3,200 in Paducah, KY.

Rio de Janeiro $1,868
Paducah, KY $3,200

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro versus $4,347 in Paducah, KY.

Rio de Janeiro $2,448
Paducah, KY $4,347

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 37% less than in Paducah, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 5% below, Paducah, KY is 52% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 R$51.0

$17.87 $17.87

-43.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.44 R$205

$76.9 $76.9

-47.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 R$43.35

$8.70 $8.70

-1.72%

Cappuccino

$2.38 R$12.04

$5.07 $5.07

-53.06%

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

$1.61 R$8.18

$2.33 $2.33

-30.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.22

$1.69 $1.69

-39.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 R$12.54

$5.27 $5.27

-53.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.77

$6.48 $6.48

-42.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.05

$1.05 $1.05

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.05 R$10.38

$2.56 $2.56

-19.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.49

$5.67 $5.67

-77.43%

Eggs

$2.29 R$11.60

$3.98 $3.98

-42.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 R$54.5

$10.16 $10.16

5.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 R$22.36

$12.16 $12.16

-63.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 R$49.86

$13.82 $13.82

-28.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.25

$6.15 $6.15

-54.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.03

$2.28 $2.28

-21.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.13

$5.66 $5.66

-71.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.11

$5.35 $5.35

-66.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.17

$4.03 $4.03

-69.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.26

$2.53 $2.53

-58.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.92

$2.00 $2.00

-61.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.38

$2.26 $2.26

-70.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R$15.27

$7.95 $7.95

-62.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$40.94

$14.97 $14.97

-46.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.03

$2.05 $2.05

-41.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$12.73

$1.80 $1.80

39.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.00

$0.98 $0.98

1.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$254

$20.22 $20.22

147.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.20

$3.54 $3.54

-65.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.58 $1.58

-41.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.45

$40.21 $40.21

-77.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 R$6.57

$0.78 $0.78

66.67%

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

$23.9K R$121.0K

$34.9K $34.9K

-31.63%

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

$32.9K R$166.6K

$24.6K $24.6K

33.85%

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

$133 R$676

$246 $246

-45.70%

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

$10.82 R$54.8

$55.0 $55.0

-80.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.90 R$116

$77.0 $77.0

-70.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.79 R$156

$35.98 $35.98

-14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.85 R$161

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 R$40.83

$8.86 $8.86

-9.14%

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

$598 R$3,029

$1,404 $1,404

-57.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K R$68.0K

$24.0K $24.0K

-43.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.04 R$213

$56.8 $56.8

-25.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.68 R$252

$29.71 $29.71

67.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 R$378

$71.3 $71.3

4.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 R$348

$69.1 $69.1

-0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$903 R$4,578

$1,079 $1,079

-16.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$529 R$2,684

$800 $800

-33.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,326 R$6,724

$1,953 $1,953

-32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,831

$1,634 $1,634

-53.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 R$20.3K

$1,366 $1,366

193.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,560 R$7,910

$1,376 $1,376

13.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 R$3,242

$3,979 $3,979

-83.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

6.72

77.53%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Paducah, KY: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Rio de Janeiro

$529 41.1%

Paducah, KY

$800 39% 51.2% $271

Groceries & Markets

Rio de Janeiro

$215 16.7%

Paducah, KY

$397 19.4% 85.2% $183

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rio de Janeiro

$167 13%

Paducah, KY

$378 18.4% 126% $211

Eating Out

Rio de Janeiro

$165 12.8%

Paducah, KY

$285 13.9% 72.9% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Rio de Janeiro

$106 8.2%

Paducah, KY

$102 5% 3.4% $3.6

Getting Around

Rio de Janeiro

$60 4.7%

Paducah, KY

$36 1.7% 40.5% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Rio de Janeiro

$47 3.6%

Paducah, KY

$54 2.6% 14.5% $6.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $903 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,079 in Paducah, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Paducah, KY pays 522% 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 $77.0 in Paducah, KY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $397 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🇺🇸 Paducah, KY

🕒 Local time

23:08 11:08 PM

21:08 9:08 PM

2 h behind Rio de Janeiro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,211,223

25,048

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Rio de Janeiro Paducah, KY 8,190 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Rio de Janeiro
Paducah, KY

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 Paducah, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 522% lower in Paducah, KY. 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: $903 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,079 in Paducah, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,289 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,052 in Paducah, KY – a 59% 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 148% less than in Paducah, KY. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,052 in Paducah, KY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Paducah, KY. 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 Paducah, KY, 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 59% less than in Paducah, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.