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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $779 in Rondonópolis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,251 in Rondonópolis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,723 in Rondonópolis.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 23% more expensive than Rondonópolis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Rondonópolis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$37.09

$5.27 R$27.12

36.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$183

$26.91 R$139

32.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$33.20

$6.40 R$32.96

0.63%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$10.17

$1.71 R$8.80

15.20%

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

$1.27 R$6.56

$1.12 R$5.76

13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.67 R$3.44

34.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.09

$1.81 R$9.34

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.83

$2.62 R$13.50

2.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.99

$0.93 R$4.80

24.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.75

$1.45 R$7.48

17.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.27

$1.14 R$5.85

23.68%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.29

$2.02 R$10.42

-0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$41.45

$8.17 R$42.08

-1.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.64

$3.75 R$19.31

-3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$42.25

$7.32 R$37.72

12.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.06 R$10.59

16.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.31 R$6.75

20.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.70

$1.16 R$5.95

28.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$8.04

$1.50 R$7.75

4.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.72

$1.16 R$5.96

12.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.68

$1.10 R$5.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.52

$0.74 R$3.81

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.98

$0.66 R$3.39

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$10.04

$2.15 R$11.08

-9.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.97

$8.15 R$42.00

7.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.26

$1.21 R$6.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$11.09

$1.98 R$10.22

8.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.34

$0.92 R$4.76

33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$202

$39.27 R$202

0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.73

$1.06 R$5.45

4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.67

$0.76 R$3.91

-6.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.98

$6.26 R$32.27

17.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.04 R$5.37

2.88%

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

$20.4K R$104.9K

-0.06%

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

$27.1K R$139.6K

$27.3K R$140.6K

-0.71%

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

$104 R$535

$60.8 R$313

70.77%

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

$12.18 R$62.8

$13.50 R$69.6

-9.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$96.3

$18.52 R$95.4

0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$132

$22.15 R$114

15.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$126

$21.44 R$110

13.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$34.02

$6.14 R$31.62

7.49%

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

$542 R$2,791

$275 R$1,417

97.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.8K

$6,437 R$33.2K

83.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$228

$48.81 R$251

-9.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$216

$42.46 R$219

-1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$396

$75.7 R$390

1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$319

$65.1 R$335

-4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,258

$312 R$1,608

40.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,703

$215 R$1,108

53.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,319

$575 R$2,964

45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,933

$423 R$2,181

34.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.3K

$1,433 R$7,379

134.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,154

$1,079 R$5,560

28.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,823

$632 R$3,256

-13.29%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rondonópolis: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $312 in Rondonópolis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rondonópolis pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Rondonópolis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $175 per month, with Rondonópolis 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 Rondonópolis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Rondonópolis differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $779 including rent). Rondonópolis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rondonópolis earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $312 in Rondonópolis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rondonópolis – a meal for two runs $27.00 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 $779 in Rondonópolis – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $779 in Rondonópolis versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rondonópolis but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Rondonópolis 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 Rondonópolis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.