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: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $719 in Rio do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,120 in Rio do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,520 in Rio do Sul.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 34% more expensive than Rio do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Rio do Sul 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$37.09

$4.58 R$23.60

57.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$183

$21.88 R$113

62.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$33.20

$3.53 R$18.19

82.44%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$10.17

$1.24 R$6.38

58.87%

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

$1.27 R$6.56

$1.11 R$5.72

14.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.55 R$2.85

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.09

$2.11 R$10.86

-16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.83

$3.29 R$16.93

-18.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.99

$0.94 R$4.83

23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.75

$1.49 R$7.68

14.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.27

$1.22 R$6.26

15.57%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.29

$1.45 R$7.47

37.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$41.45

$7.34 R$37.81

9.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.64

$3.55 R$18.27

1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$42.25

$6.43 R$33.13

27.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$1.40 R$7.22

71.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.14

$0.93 R$4.79

69.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.70

$0.73 R$3.77

104.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$8.04

$1.26 R$6.47

23.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.72

$0.98 R$5.02

32.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.68

$0.91 R$4.70

20.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.52

$0.55 R$2.84

23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.98

$0.66 R$3.42

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$10.04

$2.21 R$11.41

-11.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.97

$3.95 R$20.35

121.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.26

$1.23 R$6.35

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$11.09

$2.23 R$11.50

-3.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.34

$0.92 R$4.74

33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$202

$38.21 R$197

2.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.73

$1.16 R$5.96

-4.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.67

$0.67 R$3.45

5.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.98

$6.21 R$31.99

18.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.09 R$5.62

-1.83%

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

$20.4K R$104.9K

$18.7K R$96.2K

9.05%

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

$27.1K R$139.6K

$26.7K R$137.8K

1.30%

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

$104 R$535

$74.0 R$381

40.32%

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

$12.18 R$62.8

$10.04 R$51.7

21.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$96.3

$19.71 R$102

-5.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$132

$22.87 R$118

12.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$126

$21.96 R$113

10.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$34.02

$4.62 R$23.82

42.86%

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

$542 R$2,791

$273 R$1,407

98.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.8K

$6,533 R$33.7K

80.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$228

$44.98 R$232

-1.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$216

$44.97 R$232

-6.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$396

$72.2 R$372

6.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$319

$44.25 R$228

40.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,258

$319 R$1,641

37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,703

$219 R$1,127

51.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,319

$579 R$2,981

44.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,933

$434 R$2,235

31.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.3K

$1,571 R$8,094

113.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,154

$1,162 R$5,987

19.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,823

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rio do Sul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $319 in Rio do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $22.00 in Rio do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 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 34% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $719 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 $1,440 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,078 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: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $319 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 $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 $719 in Rio do Sul – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $719 in Rio do Sul versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rio do Sul but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Rio do Sul 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 Rio do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.