Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Passo Fundo Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Passo Fundo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $678 in Passo Fundo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,120 in Passo Fundo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,562 in Passo Fundo.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 39% more expensive than in Passo Fundo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Passo Fundo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.42

$5.43 R$27.66

35.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$180

$27.20 R$138

30.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.00

$6.18 R$31.46

1.62%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.68

$0.92 R$4.68

106.52%

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

$1.29 R$6.55

$1.10 R$5.60

17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.64

$0.52 R$2.63

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.91

$1.45 R$7.38

20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.92

$1.78 R$9.07

53.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.75

$0.86 R$4.36

31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.70

$1.45 R$7.41

17.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.26

$1.09 R$5.57

31.19%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.38

$2.07 R$10.52

-1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.43

$6.00 R$30.56

29.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.75

$4.66 R$23.74

-25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.77

$9.28 R$47.24

-13.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.72

$2.06 R$10.47

11.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.01

$0.73 R$3.73

115.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.70

$1.28 R$6.52

17.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.87

$0.71 R$3.59

118.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.34

$1.10 R$5.58

12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.06 R$5.41

5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$0.63 R$3.23

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.89

$0.62 R$3.17

-8.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.18

$1.92 R$9.80

4.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.33

$7.80 R$39.70

1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.41

$0.75 R$3.83

68.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.43

$1.81 R$9.20

13.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.56

$0.88 R$4.47

46.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$201

$39.13 R$199

0.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.43

$1.11 R$5.65

-3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.38

$1.05 R$5.36

-37.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.64

$5.30 R$27.00

39.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.64

$1.06 R$5.40

4.72%

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

$20.7K R$105.3K

$24.7K R$125.9K

-16.39%

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

$27.5K R$140.1K

$27.7K R$141.2K

-0.77%

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

$103 R$524

$33.94 R$173

203.36%

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

$11.99 R$61.0

$6.79 R$34.55

76.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.2

$17.31 R$88.2

6.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$18.00 R$91.6

45.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$124

$21.66 R$110

12.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.27

$4.38 R$22.32

44.75%

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

$554 R$2,820

$314 R$1,599

76.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.0K

$7,169 R$36.5K

64.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$230

$48.41 R$246

-6.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$212

$54.8 R$279

-23.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$389

$80.5 R$410

-5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$315

$61.8 R$315

0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,260

$317 R$1,613

40.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,657

$177 R$900

84.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,311

$636 R$3,240

33.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,941

$367 R$1,867

57.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.6K

$848 R$4,318

331.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,509

$630 R$3,208

134.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,023

$684 R$3,483

-13.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

13.30%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Passo Fundo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Rio de Janeiro and $317 in Passo Fundo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Passo Fundo pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Passo Fundo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $167 per month, with Passo Fundo 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 Passo Fundo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Passo Fundo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Passo Fundo. 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: $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $317 in Passo Fundo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Passo Fundo – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $945 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $678 in Passo Fundo – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Passo Fundo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Expats usually find Passo Fundo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.