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: $980 in Rio de Janeiro versus $626 in Teresina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,489 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,041 in Teresina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,455 in Teresina.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 56% more expensive than in Teresina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 26% lower, Teresina 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 R$36.14

$5.26 R$27.15

33.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.60 R$189

$26.72 R$138

36.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 R$33.43

$6.23 R$32.17

4.01%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$10.26

$1.80 R$9.30

10.56%

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

$1.28 R$6.60

$1.08 R$5.60

18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.64

$0.61 R$3.16

47.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.10

$1.76 R$9.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.71

$2.64 R$13.64

0.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.96

$1.25 R$6.43

-7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.77

$2.07 R$10.70

-17.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.29

$1.23 R$6.35

14.63%

Eggs

$1.97 R$10.16

$3.63 R$18.72

-45.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 R$40.48

$8.06 R$41.61

-2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 R$19.03

$3.55 R$18.30

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 R$40.86

$7.12 R$36.76

11.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 R$11.94

$1.59 R$8.22

45.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.36

$1.30 R$6.69

24.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.80

$1.19 R$6.17

26.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.12

$1.44 R$7.41

9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.39

$1.14 R$5.89

8.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.77

$1.07 R$5.51

4.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.49

$0.70 R$3.60

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.16

$0.63 R$3.24

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 R$9.96

$2.15 R$11.09

-10.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 R$45.48

$9.51 R$49.08

-7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.55

$1.26 R$6.50

0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.93

$2.08 R$10.75

1.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.40

$0.74 R$3.83

67.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$203

$38.76 R$200

1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.06 R$5.48

0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.62

$0.94 R$4.88

-25.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 R$40.30

$6.23 R$32.16

25.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.49

$1.06 R$5.48

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

$20.8K R$107.5K

$20.4K R$105.3K

2.07%

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

$27.7K R$143.0K

$27.2K R$140.2K

2.03%

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

$105 R$541

$59.8 R$309

75.16%

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

$11.85 R$61.1

$13.47 R$69.5

-12.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 R$96.0

$16.22 R$83.7

14.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.06 R$135

$19.00 R$98.1

37.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$125

$21.74 R$112

11.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R$33.79

$8.00 R$41.27

-18.13%

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

$554 R$2,857

$269 R$1,390

105.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$60.4K

$6,593 R$34.0K

77.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.85 R$237

$27.28 R$141

68.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.26 R$213

$21.03 R$109

96.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 R$397

$54.0 R$279

42.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.3 R$321

$42.69 R$220

45.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 R$2,269

$135 R$699

224.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,736

$97.9 R$505

243.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 R$4,411

$336 R$1,733

154.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$573 R$2,959

$246 R$1,268

133.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,445 R$17.8K

$1,385 R$7,149

148.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,469 R$7,581

$771 R$3,981

90.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 R$2,845

$424 R$2,190

29.91%

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 16, 2026

Last update for Teresina: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Rio de Janeiro and $135 in Teresina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 30% 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: $37.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Teresina. Groceries flip the comparison at $187 vs $189, 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 56% in total monthly costs ($980 vs $626 including rent). Teresina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 30% 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: $440 in Rio de Janeiro versus $135 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 $37.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $980 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $626 in Teresina – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Teresina versus $980 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Teresina but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Teresina 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 Teresina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.