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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $946 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $729 in Rio Branco, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,488 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,137 in Rio Branco, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,030 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,545 in Rio Branco, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 30% more than Rio Branco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Rio Branco are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Rio Branco 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 R$37.04

$5.33 R$27.04

36.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.46 R$185

$23.38 R$119

55.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.76

$7.68 R$38.97

-15.89%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.64

$2.26 R$11.46

-15.93%

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

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.21 R$6.15

6.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.40

$0.69 R$3.49

26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.86

$1.76 R$8.95

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.88

$1.41 R$7.16

93.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.70

$1.37 R$6.97

-18.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.64

$1.45 R$7.36

17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.55

$1.15 R$5.82

29.57%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.88

$2.02 R$10.24

-3.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R$39.47

$8.19 R$41.54

-5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 R$18.11

$4.14 R$21.01

-13.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 R$39.94

$6.14 R$31.16

28.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.32

$2.08 R$10.57

16.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.28

$1.26 R$6.40

29.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.43

$1.14 R$5.79

28.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.85

$1.51 R$7.65

2.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.26

$1.14 R$5.77

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.65

$1.09 R$5.54

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.49

$0.75 R$3.81

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.06

$0.62 R$3.16

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.99

$2.15 R$10.92

-8.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 R$39.29

$7.76 R$39.39

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.17

$1.25 R$6.35

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.55

$1.99 R$10.11

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.29

$0.62 R$3.13

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 R$197

$37.87 R$192

2.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.70

$1.07 R$5.42

4.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 R$3.30

$0.74 R$3.77

-12.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 R$37.57

$6.51 R$33.03

13.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.13 R$5.72

-6.19%

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

$20.3K R$102.8K

$20.6K R$104.6K

-1.66%

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

$28.1K R$142.5K

$28.1K R$142.4K

0.07%

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

$101 R$513

$61.1 R$310

65.53%

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

$12.30 R$62.4

$13.59 R$69.0

-9.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.55 R$94.1

$17.91 R$90.9

3.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.98 R$132

$17.68 R$89.7

46.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$123

$21.88 R$111

10.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 R$33.08

$3.54 R$17.97

84.18%

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

$539 R$2,737

$143 R$727

276.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.2K

$6,382 R$32.4K

82.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 R$228

$49.02 R$249

-8.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 R$210

$42.74 R$217

-3.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 R$387

$76.4 R$388

-0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 R$313

$63.1 R$320

-2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,203

$314 R$1,594

38.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,646

$175 R$889

85.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R$4,293

$502 R$2,546

68.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 R$2,879

$307 R$1,557

84.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,721 R$18.9K

$1,285 R$6,523

189.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 R$7,516

$1,571 R$7,972

-5.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$600 R$3,043

$249 R$1,264

140.72%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Rio Branco: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Rio de Janeiro versus $314 in Rio Branco. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 141% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $23.00 in Rio Branco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $177 – making Rio Branco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rio Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,419 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,094 in Rio Branco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rio Branco, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 3% less in Rio Branco. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $539 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $143 in Rio Branco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rio Branco, where all-in costs run around $729, than in Rio de Janeiro at $946. In Rio Branco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rio Branco – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rio Branco. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rio de Janeiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.