Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Somerset West Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Somerset West

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,186 in Somerset West.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,965 in Somerset West.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,402 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,744 in Somerset West.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 3% more expensive than in Somerset West, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Somerset West 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 R$48.53

$12.27 R 198

-22.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R$201

$47.27 R 761

-17.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 R$43.74

$5.74 R 92.4

48.61%

Cappuccino

$2.32 R$11.90

$2.12 R 34.22

9.43%

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

$1.59 R$8.13

$1.07 R 17.18

48.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.95 R 15.33

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.65

$2.73 R 44.01

-16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.91

$3.46 R 55.7

-4.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$1.05 R 16.92

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.42

$1.03 R 16.60

97.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.95

$2.13 R 34.38

-36.15%

Eggs

$2.24 R$11.48

$2.34 R 37.69

-4.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 R$53.4

$8.95 R 144

16.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 R$21.81

$5.44 R 87.5

-21.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 R$50.1

$9.71 R 156

0.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 R$13.45

$1.93 R 31.03

35.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.31

$1.99 R 32.07

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$1.71 R 27.51

-7.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.35

$1.72 R 27.76

5.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.57 R 25.26

-18.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.22

$1.54 R 24.79

-33.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$1.38 R 22.24

-49.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.44

$1.06 R 17.07

-36.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.00

$3.46 R 55.8

-15.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.79

$6.40 R 103

33.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.97

$1.44 R 23.12

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.64

$1.84 R 29.56

34.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.95

$1.21 R 19.43

-19.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$257

$61.3 R 986

-18.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 R$6.07

$0.65 R 10.41

81.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.46

$1.60 R 25.74

-45.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 R$45.51

$5.06 R 81.4

75.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.44

$1.44 R 23.14

-12.50%

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

$23.6K R$121.2K

$30.3K R 487.4K

-21.86%

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

$32.9K R$168.6K

$30.0K R 483.3K

9.60%

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

$136 R$697

$86.2 R 1,388

57.82%

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

$11.93 R$61.1

$31.45 R 506

-62.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 R$111

$40.32 R 649

-46.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 R$154

$46.98 R 757

-35.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.51 R$151

$11.11 R 179

165.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 R$39.59

$7.44 R 120

3.76%

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

$550 R$2,819

$265 R 4,267

107.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.3K

$3,814 R 61.4K

249.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 R$206

$32.05 R 516

25.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 R$245

$31.89 R 514

49.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 R$373

$72.5 R 1,168

0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$334

$59.7 R 961

9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 R$4,207

$670 R 10.8K

22.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R$2,554

$436 R 7,029

14.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 R$6,585

$1,369 R 22.0K

-6.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R$3,673

$978 R 15.7K

-26.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 R$19.9K

$1,316 R 21.2K

195.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 R$7,595

$921 R 14.8K

60.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,329

$1,476 R 23.8K

-56.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

10.12

17.89%

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 Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $821 in Rio de Janeiro and $670 in Somerset West. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 127% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $47.00 in Somerset West. Groceries flip the comparison at $212 vs $209, with Somerset West 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 Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Somerset West differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,217 vs $1,186 including rent). Somerset West is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 127% lower in Somerset West. 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: $821 in Rio de Janeiro versus $670 in Somerset West. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Somerset West – a meal for two runs $47.00 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 $1,186 in Somerset West – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,186 in Somerset West versus $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Somerset West but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Somerset West 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.

Safety-wise, Rio de Janeiro and Somerset West are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Somerset West gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.