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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $760 in Suzano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,224 in Suzano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,687 in Suzano.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 25% more expensive than in Suzano, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Suzano 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.12 R$36.03

$4.72 R$23.88

50.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.19 R$183

$32.20 R$163

12.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 R$31.65

$5.61 R$28.38

11.59%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.00

$1.79 R$9.07

10.61%

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

$1.28 R$6.48

$1.23 R$6.23

4.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.84 R$4.24

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.93

$1.77 R$8.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 R$13.97

$2.72 R$13.76

1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.65

$0.88 R$4.47

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 R$8.70

$1.74 R$8.78

-1.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.47

$0.93 R$4.69

59.14%

Eggs

$1.97 R$9.94

$1.75 R$8.83

12.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 R$40.14

$9.96 R$50.4

-20.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 R$17.82

$2.80 R$14.14

25.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 R$40.91

$7.16 R$36.20

12.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 R$11.86

$1.42 R$7.16

65.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.22

$1.60 R$8.07

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.63

$1.17 R$5.90

29.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.54

$1.43 R$7.21

4.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.60

$1.25 R$6.32

4.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$0.76 R$3.84

44.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.63 R$3.18

7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.87

$0.42 R$2.12

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.11

$1.61 R$8.12

24.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 R$39.35

$6.22 R$31.45

25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.17

$1.31 R$6.61

-6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.52

$1.97 R$9.98

5.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.22

$0.87 R$4.39

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.62 R$195

$38.11 R$193

1.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.50

$1.10 R$5.55

-0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.55

$0.63 R$3.16

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 R$39.31

$7.66 R$38.73

1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.57

$1.03 R$5.20

6.80%

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

$20.4K R$103.2K

$22.4K R$113.3K

-8.89%

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

$27.6K R$139.8K

$27.0K R$136.7K

2.31%

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

$102 R$517

$38.94 R$197

162.38%

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

$11.98 R$60.6

$16.64 R$84.2

-28.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 R$96.9

$22.67 R$115

-15.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.19 R$132

$22.80 R$115

14.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.86 R$121

$21.58 R$109

10.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 R$32.59

$6.59 R$33.32

-2.28%

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

$546 R$2,763

$164 R$827

233.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K R$58.9K

$8,625 R$43.6K

34.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.00 R$233

$55.1 R$278

-16.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.47 R$210

$55.7 R$282

-25.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 R$386

$74.7 R$378

2.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.5 R$306

$76.8 R$388

-21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R$2,219

$319 R$1,613

37.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 R$1,652

$214 R$1,084

52.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 R$4,371

$587 R$2,969

47.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 R$2,919

$422 R$2,136

36.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 R$19.0K

$938 R$4,742

301.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,455 R$7,361

$898 R$4,544

61.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 R$3,052

$443 R$2,243

36.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.17

1.43%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 20, 2026

Last update for Suzano: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Rio de Janeiro and $319 in Suzano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $32.00 in Suzano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $166 per month, with Suzano 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 Suzano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Suzano differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($953 vs $760 including rent). Suzano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $439 in Rio de Janeiro versus $319 in Suzano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Suzano – a meal for two runs $32.00 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 $760 in Suzano – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Suzano 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 Suzano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.