Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Passos Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Passos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro versus $930 in Passos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,480 in Passos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,030 in Passos.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 30% more expensive than in Passos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Passos 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 R$43.56

$9.20 R$47.14

-7.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R$195

$33.59 R$172

13.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 R$39.03

$8.34 R$42.72

-8.63%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.48

$2.14 R$10.95

4.67%

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

$1.56 R$7.97

$1.27 R$6.48

22.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.32

$0.91 R$4.65

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.63

$2.33 R$11.94

-2.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.93

$3.56 R$18.27

-7.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.67

$1.07 R$5.47

3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 R$10.03

$2.01 R$10.31

-2.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.80

$1.34 R$6.88

-0.75%

Eggs

$2.22 R$11.37

$2.65 R$13.57

-16.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 R$53.0

$11.22 R$57.5

-7.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$22.15

$4.92 R$25.22

-12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 R$48.27

$10.24 R$52.5

-8.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.52

$2.30 R$11.79

14.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.83

$1.78 R$9.11

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.79

$1.54 R$7.91

-1.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.15

$1.42 R$7.29

26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.28 R$6.54

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.30

$1.17 R$5.99

-11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.91 R$4.65

-23.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.23

$0.81 R$4.17

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 R$14.89

$2.37 R$12.13

22.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$40.15

$7.85 R$40.20

-0.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.65

$1.50 R$7.71

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.10

$2.45 R$12.53

4.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.11

$0.82 R$4.21

21.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$251

$48.51 R$249

0.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.09

$1.13 R$5.77

5.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.49

$0.75 R$3.85

17.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.97

$8.44 R$43.23

6.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.23 R$6.29

2.44%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$22.8K R$116.6K

2.58%

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

$32.2K R$165.1K

$30.8K R$158.0K

4.51%

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

$132 R$675

$63.6 R$326

106.98%

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

$10.95 R$56.1

$15.58 R$79.8

-29.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 R$112

$22.39 R$115

-1.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 R$146

$24.71 R$127

15.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$155

$23.29 R$119

29.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 R$39.98

$7.66 R$39.27

1.83%

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

$538 R$2,756

$420 R$2,152

28.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$65.6K

$9,757 R$50.0K

31.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 R$208

$64.0 R$328

-36.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$238

$54.6 R$280

-15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 R$357

$92.9 R$476

-25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$331

$83.4 R$428

-22.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 R$4,242

$337 R$1,726

145.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R$2,395

$230 R$1,177

103.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,474

$635 R$3,253

99.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R$3,704

$443 R$2,269

63.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 R$20.7K

$1,849 R$9,472

118.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 R$7,743

$1,161 R$5,951

30.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 R$3,142

$402 R$2,062

52.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

10.81

10.36%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Last update for Passos: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Rio de Janeiro and $337 in Passos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 52% 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: $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $34.00 in Passos. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $219, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper for home cooking.

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 Passos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Passos differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,205 vs $930 including rent). Passos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 52% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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: $828 in Rio de Janeiro versus $337 in Passos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Rio de Janeiro pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Passos – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $930 in Passos versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Passos but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Passos 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 Passos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.