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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro versus $740 in Timbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,799 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,224 in Timbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,360 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,707 in Timbo.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 67% more expensive than in Timbo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 10% lower, Timbo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R$47.01

$4.97 R$25.55

83.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.73 R$199

$38.64 R$199

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 R$41.39

$3.86 R$19.86

108.55%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.49

$2.01 R$10.32

11.44%

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

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.10 R$5.64

43.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.26

$0.71 R$3.66

43.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 R$12.03

$1.83 R$9.39

27.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 R$16.66

$2.27 R$11.69

42.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.63

$0.86 R$4.43

26.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 R$10.16

$1.44 R$7.40

36.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$7.01

$0.92 R$4.73

47.83%

Eggs

$2.28 R$11.73

$1.75 R$8.97

30.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 R$55.7

$7.71 R$39.65

40.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 R$21.57

$3.45 R$17.73

21.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 R$49.49

$7.27 R$37.41

32.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.51

$1.61 R$8.28

63.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.89

$0.66 R$3.41

162.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R$7.89

$0.81 R$4.19

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.44

$1.20 R$6.15

53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.34

$0.86 R$4.42

43.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.16

$0.75 R$3.85

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.81

$0.66 R$3.38

12.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.13

$0.88 R$4.50

-30.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.09

$1.54 R$7.92

90.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 R$46.29

$4.90 R$25.19

83.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.11

$1.09 R$5.59

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 R$11.98

$1.93 R$9.93

20.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.77

$1.00 R$5.16

-7.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.48 R$254

$43.05 R$221

14.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.11

$1.25 R$6.41

-4.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.30

$0.75 R$3.86

12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 R$46.42

$5.81 R$29.88

55.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.57

$1.00 R$5.15

28.00%

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

$23.0K R$118.1K

$22.3K R$114.7K

2.93%

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

$32.1K R$165.1K

$26.3K R$135.2K

22.06%

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

$136 R$698

$56.5 R$291

140.22%

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

$12.02 R$61.8

$12.75 R$65.6

-5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 R$113

$22.64 R$116

-3.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 R$155

$25.20 R$130

19.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 R$152

$26.58 R$137

11.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 R$40.81

$5.92 R$30.43

34.12%

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

$551 R$2,832

$235 R$1,207

134.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.5K

$2,821 R$14.5K

372.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.13 R$206

$31.04 R$160

29.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 R$241

$39.27 R$202

19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 R$370

$58.9 R$303

22.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 R$341

$48.56 R$250

36.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R$4,281

$343 R$1,765

142.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,477

$230 R$1,185

108.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 R$6,573

$640 R$3,292

99.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 R$3,609

$448 R$2,305

56.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 R$20.2K

$1,642 R$8,441

139.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 R$7,593

$1,121 R$5,765

31.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,305

$693 R$3,564

-7.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

8.45%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 12, 2026

Last update for Timbo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $833 in Rio de Janeiro and $343 in Timbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timbo pays 8% 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 $39.00 in Timbo. Groceries flip the comparison at $211 vs $153, with Timbo 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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Timbo differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,237 vs $740 including rent). Timbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Timbo. 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: $833 in Rio de Janeiro versus $343 in Timbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Timbo – a meal for two runs $39.00 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 $1,237 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $740 in Timbo – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $740 in Timbo versus $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timbo but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Timbo 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 Timbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.