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: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $677 in Passo Fundo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,124 in Passo Fundo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,571 in Passo Fundo.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 42% more expensive than Passo Fundo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Passo Fundo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.03

$5.47 R$27.36

31.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$178

$27.27 R$136

30.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.25

$6.27 R$31.36

2.71%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.88

$0.92 R$4.59

114.13%

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

$1.27 R$6.38

$1.10 R$5.50

15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.49

$0.56 R$2.80

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.83

$1.46 R$7.32

20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.43

$1.78 R$8.92

50.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.82

$0.86 R$4.29

34.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.50

$1.44 R$7.20

18.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.07

$1.10 R$5.51

28.18%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.00

$2.12 R$10.62

-5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.27

$5.70 R$28.52

41.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.11

$4.53 R$22.69

-20.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.04

$9.14 R$45.75

-10.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.00

$2.01 R$10.04

19.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.91

$0.70 R$3.49

125.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.48

$1.28 R$6.41

16.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.81

$0.70 R$3.52

122.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.53

$1.09 R$5.48

19.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.52

$1.06 R$5.32

3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.64 R$3.19

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.90

$0.62 R$3.08

-6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.75

$1.98 R$9.92

-1.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$43.69

$8.05 R$40.27

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.08

$0.75 R$3.75

61.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.77

$1.81 R$9.04

18.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.16

$0.87 R$4.34

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$197

$39.20 R$196

0.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.57

$1.10 R$5.48

0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.57

$1.02 R$5.10

-30.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$36.90

$5.33 R$26.66

38.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.37

$1.10 R$5.53

-2.73%

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

$20.4K R$101.9K

$24.4K R$122.3K

-16.68%

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

$27.1K R$135.6K

$27.6K R$138.2K

-1.87%

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

$104 R$519

$34.18 R$171

203.72%

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

$12.18 R$61.0

$6.83 R$34.20

78.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$93.6

$17.86 R$89.4

4.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$128

$18.32 R$91.7

40.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$122

$21.47 R$107

13.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.05

$4.45 R$22.29

48.31%

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

$542 R$2,712

$309 R$1,545

75.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.1K

$7,130 R$35.7K

65.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$221

$49.20 R$246

-10.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$210

$53.6 R$268

-21.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$385

$80.7 R$404

-4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$310

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,194

$311 R$1,556

40.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,654

$179 R$896

84.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,196

$633 R$3,168

32.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,849

$355 R$1,775

60.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$16.8K

$865 R$4,329

287.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$6,950

$636 R$3,180

118.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,743

$713 R$3,567

-23.11%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Passo Fundo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $311 in Passo Fundo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Passo Fundo pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Passo Fundo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $165 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 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Passo Fundo earns 30% less. 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: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $311 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 $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $677 in Passo Fundo – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $677 in Passo Fundo versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Passo Fundo but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Passo Fundo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 42% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.