Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Joao da Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Joao da Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,257 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,723 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 21% more expensive than Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Sao Joao da Boa Vista 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$35.08

$5.36 R$26.75

31.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 R$179

$26.62 R$133

34.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.16

$5.81 R$28.97

7.40%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$9.93

$2.07 R$10.34

-3.86%

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

$1.34 R$6.67

$1.20 R$5.96

11.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.19

$0.92 R$4.60

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.88

$2.03 R$10.12

-12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.31

$2.72 R$13.59

-1.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.56

$0.94 R$4.70

18.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.84

$1.54 R$7.69

14.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.42

$1.33 R$6.63

12.03%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.62

$2.85 R$14.21

-32.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 R$40.47

$12.75 R$63.6

-36.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$17.71

$4.08 R$20.35

-12.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 R$41.17

$8.68 R$43.29

-4.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.58

$1.63 R$8.13

42.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.13

$1.24 R$6.20

31.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.19

$2.08 R$10.39

-30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.73

$1.81 R$9.02

-14.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.15

$1.28 R$6.38

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.76

$1.29 R$6.45

-10.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.45

$1.10 R$5.50

-37.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.87

$0.47 R$2.34

23.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$9.93

$2.10 R$10.47

-5.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.18

$5.85 R$29.19

37.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.26

$1.35 R$6.75

-7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.14

$2.09 R$10.42

-2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.13

$0.89 R$4.44

38.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.49 R$197

$38.62 R$193

2.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.28 R$6.41

-16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.46

$1.06 R$5.30

-34.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 R$37.60

$6.38 R$31.84

18.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.50

$0.84 R$4.18

30.95%

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

$20.2K R$100.6K

$21.1K R$105.3K

-4.50%

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

$27.2K R$135.7K

$29.3K R$146.0K

-7.06%

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

$104 R$519

$86.6 R$432

20.26%

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

$11.99 R$59.8

$11.75 R$58.7

2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 R$92.2

$17.93 R$89.5

3.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.17 R$131

$22.82 R$114

14.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.31 R$121

$21.99 R$110

10.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$32.07

$4.52 R$22.56

42.26%

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

$553 R$2,761

$284 R$1,419

94.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K R$57.3K

$8,037 R$40.1K

42.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 R$222

$46.49 R$232

-4.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$209

$39.92 R$199

5.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$382

$38.93 R$194

96.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 R$305

$41.18 R$206

48.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,143

$318 R$1,588

34.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,618

$219 R$1,090

48.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 R$4,165

$591 R$2,951

41.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,894

$434 R$2,167

33.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,964 R$14.8K

$1,644 R$8,205

80.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 R$6,650

$1,137 R$5,675

17.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 R$2,671

$681 R$3,396

-21.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

-5.58%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Rio de Janeiro and $318 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Joao da Boa Vista pays 27% 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $198, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Sao Joao da Boa Vista differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($953 vs $790 including rent). Sao Joao da Boa Vista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sao Joao da Boa Vista earns 27% 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: $429 in Rio de Janeiro versus $318 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Joao da Boa Vista – 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 $953 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.