Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Rio do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Rio do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $948 in Rio de Janeiro versus $720 in Rio do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,121 in Rio do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,522 in Rio do Sul.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 32% more expensive than Rio do Sul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Rio do Sul 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$34.96

$4.47 R$22.21

57.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 R$176

$21.95 R$109

61.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$30.78

$3.52 R$17.49

75.85%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.92

$1.24 R$6.14

61.29%

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

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.10 R$5.47

17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.46

$0.56 R$2.80

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.75

$2.20 R$10.94

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.09

$3.32 R$16.49

-20.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.62

$0.86 R$4.29

31.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 R$8.40

$1.49 R$7.41

13.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.04

$1.21 R$6.02

17.36%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.55

$1.48 R$7.33

29.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.73

$7.31 R$36.34

6.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.05

$3.57 R$17.74

1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 R$39.72

$6.46 R$32.11

23.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.60

$1.46 R$7.27

59.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$1.00 R$4.95

60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.25

$0.75 R$3.73

94.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.80

$1.22 R$6.05

28.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.19

$1.01 R$5.00

23.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.76

$0.91 R$4.55

27.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.44

$0.60 R$2.98

15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.07

$0.67 R$3.33

-7.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.77

$2.12 R$10.54

-7.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 R$39.28

$3.97 R$19.71

98.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.33

$1.17 R$5.83

8.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$2.26 R$11.22

-6.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 R$6.38

$0.92 R$4.57

39.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 R$191

$37.80 R$188

1.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.54

$1.10 R$5.46

0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$0.70 R$3.49

1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 R$38.70

$6.18 R$30.73

26.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.29

$1.09 R$5.44

-2.75%

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

$20.9K R$104.0K

$18.6K R$92.3K

12.68%

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

$27.9K R$138.6K

$26.1K R$129.7K

6.84%

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

$103 R$513

$72.8 R$362

41.87%

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

$12.22 R$60.7

$9.94 R$49.39

22.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 R$93.5

$19.87 R$98.8

-5.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.63 R$127

$22.54 R$112

13.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 R$120

$21.20 R$105

14.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$31.72

$4.37 R$21.71

46.00%

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

$551 R$2,738

$275 R$1,368

100.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$58.1K

$6,462 R$32.1K

80.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 R$228

$44.44 R$221

3.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.16 R$205

$45.37 R$226

-9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$380

$71.6 R$356

6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$302

$45.10 R$224

34.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,154

$317 R$1,575

36.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,669

$220 R$1,091

52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 R$4,237

$578 R$2,872

47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,926

$436 R$2,166

35.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 R$14.5K

$1,695 R$8,424

72.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 R$6,668

$1,190 R$5,915

12.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 R$2,708

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

3.00%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 21, 2026

Last update for Rio do Sul: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Rio de Janeiro and $317 in Rio do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35 in Rio de Janeiro vs $22 in Rio do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $149 per month, with Rio do Sul 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 Rio do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Rio do Sul differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($948 vs $720 including rent). Rio do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,422 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,079 in Rio do Sul to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Rio de Janeiro versus $317 in Rio do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio do Sul – a meal for two runs $22.00 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 $948 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $720 in Rio do Sul – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

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 Rio do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.