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: $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro versus $781 in Rio do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,235 in Rio do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,402 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,688 in Rio do Sul.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 56% more expensive than in Rio do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Rio do Sul 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 R$48.53

$4.86 R$24.90

94.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R$201

$20.95 R$107

87.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 R$43.74

$7.52 R$38.55

13.43%

Cappuccino

$2.32 R$11.90

$2.01 R$10.30

15.42%

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

$1.59 R$8.13

$1.14 R$5.82

39.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.85 R$4.38

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.65

$2.65 R$13.59

-14.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.91

$4.16 R$21.33

-20.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$0.94 R$4.81

18.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.42

$1.80 R$9.20

12.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.95

$1.31 R$6.73

3.82%

Eggs

$2.24 R$11.48

$1.51 R$7.73

48.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 R$53.4

$7.92 R$40.58

31.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 R$21.81

$3.95 R$20.23

7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 R$50.1

$6.82 R$34.94

43.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 R$13.45

$1.58 R$8.11

65.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.31

$1.03 R$5.26

76.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$0.79 R$4.06

101.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.35

$1.18 R$6.03

54.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$0.86 R$4.39

48.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.22

$0.72 R$3.70

41.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.76 R$3.90

-7.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.44

$0.80 R$4.08

-16.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.00

$2.95 R$15.10

-0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.79

$3.97 R$20.35

115.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.97

$1.36 R$6.97

-13.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.64

$2.49 R$12.79

-0.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.91 R$4.68

6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$257

$42.05 R$216

19.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 R$6.07

$1.26 R$6.46

-6.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.46

$0.79 R$4.05

10.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 R$45.51

$5.89 R$30.21

50.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.44

$1.19 R$6.08

5.88%

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

$23.6K R$121.2K

$22.8K R$117.0K

3.61%

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

$32.9K R$168.6K

$32.0K R$163.9K

2.87%

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

$136 R$697

$61.3 R$314

121.84%

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

$11.93 R$61.1

$9.55 R$48.93

24.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 R$111

$20.15 R$103

7.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 R$154

$24.94 R$128

20.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.51 R$151

$27.17 R$139

8.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 R$39.59

$4.86 R$24.90

58.85%

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

$550 R$2,819

$299 R$1,531

84.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.3K

$10.6K R$54.2K

26.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 R$206

$47.44 R$243

-15.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 R$245

$50.8 R$260

-5.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 R$373

$75.7 R$388

-3.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$334

$48.87 R$251

33.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 R$4,207

$336 R$1,724

144.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R$2,554

$233 R$1,194

113.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 R$6,585

$654 R$3,351

96.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R$3,673

$449 R$2,303

59.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 R$19.9K

$1,613 R$8,270

141.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 R$7,595

$1,138 R$5,836

30.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,329

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

11.54

3.38%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rio do Sul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $821 in Rio de Janeiro and $336 in Rio do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $21.00 in Rio do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $162 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 56% in total monthly costs ($1,217 vs $781 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 $1,826 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,171 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: $821 in Rio de Janeiro versus $336 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 $21.00 versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,217 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $781 in Rio do Sul – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $781 in Rio do Sul versus $1,217 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 56% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.