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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $625 in Teresina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,038 in Teresina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,451 in Teresina.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 53% more expensive than Teresina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Teresina 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$35.08

$5.44 R$27.15

29.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 R$179

$27.04 R$135

32.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.16

$6.12 R$30.53

1.96%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$9.93

$1.81 R$9.02

9.94%

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

$1.34 R$6.67

$1.08 R$5.39

24.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.19

$0.67 R$3.33

25.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.88

$1.81 R$9.04

-1.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.31

$2.71 R$13.55

-1.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.56

$1.20 R$6.01

-7.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.84

$2.18 R$10.88

-18.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.42

$1.24 R$6.19

20.16%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.62

$3.54 R$17.66

-45.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 R$40.47

$8.14 R$40.60

-0.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$17.71

$3.54 R$17.67

0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 R$41.17

$7.17 R$35.79

15.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.58

$1.59 R$7.92

45.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.13

$1.25 R$6.21

30.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.19

$1.15 R$5.75

25.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.73

$1.52 R$7.56

1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.15

$1.14 R$5.69

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.76

$1.11 R$5.53

3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.45

$0.69 R$3.46

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.87

$0.62 R$3.11

-6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$9.93

$2.15 R$10.75

-7.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.18

$7.84 R$39.13

2.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.26

$1.20 R$6.01

4.17%

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

$0.69 R$3.42

78.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.49 R$197

$39.25 R$196

0.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.11 R$5.54

-3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.46

$0.93 R$4.66

-25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 R$37.60

$6.41 R$32.00

17.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.50

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

$20.2K R$100.6K

$20.9K R$104.3K

-3.60%

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

$27.2K R$135.7K

$27.4K R$136.8K

-0.75%

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

$104 R$519

$60.5 R$302

72.09%

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

$11.99 R$59.8

$13.48 R$67.3

-11.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 R$92.2

$16.11 R$80.4

14.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.17 R$131

$18.56 R$92.6

41.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.31 R$121

$21.91 R$109

10.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$32.07

$8.03 R$40.09

-19.93%

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

$553 R$2,761

$268 R$1,338

106.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K R$57.3K

$6,486 R$32.4K

77.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 R$222

$26.70 R$133

66.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$209

$20.84 R$104

101.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$382

$54.1 R$270

41.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 R$305

$41.74 R$208

46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,143

$137 R$681

214.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,618

$98.8 R$493

228.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 R$4,165

$339 R$1,693

146.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,894

$245 R$1,221

136.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,964 R$14.8K

$1,359 R$6,782

118.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 R$6,650

$769 R$3,838

73.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 R$2,671

$432 R$2,156

23.88%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Teresina: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Rio de Janeiro and $137 in Teresina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 24% 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 $27.00 in Teresina. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $186, 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 Teresina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Teresina differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($953 vs $625 including rent). Teresina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 24% more on average, 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: $429 in Rio de Janeiro versus $137 in Teresina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Teresina – 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 $625 in Teresina – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Teresina 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 Teresina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.