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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $822 in Ubatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,316 in Ubatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,809 in Ubatuba.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 17% more expensive than Ubatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Ubatuba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.03

$6.81 R$34.06

5.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$178

$26.14 R$131

35.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.25

$4.37 R$21.85

47.37%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.88

$1.34 R$6.69

47.01%

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

$1.27 R$6.38

$1.29 R$6.43

-1.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.49

$0.81 R$4.07

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.83

$1.83 R$9.17

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.43

$2.72 R$13.60

-1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.82

$1.02 R$5.12

13.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.50

$1.58 R$7.89

7.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.07

$1.17 R$5.86

20.51%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.00

$2.36 R$11.81

-15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.27

$2.77 R$13.87

190.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.11

$3.70 R$18.50

-2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.04

$7.04 R$35.22

16.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.00

$1.48 R$7.38

62.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.91

$1.06 R$5.29

49.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.48

$1.06 R$5.33

40.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.81

$1.63 R$8.16

-4.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.53

$1.11 R$5.55

17.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.52

$1.10 R$5.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.86 R$4.32

-20.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.90

$0.53 R$2.64

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.75

$1.78 R$8.89

9.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$43.69

$8.26 R$41.34

5.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.08

$1.36 R$6.80

-11.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.77

$1.97 R$9.88

9.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.16

$0.92 R$4.62

33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$197

$38.43 R$192

2.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.57

$1.11 R$5.56

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.57

$0.63 R$3.14

12.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$36.90

$7.60 R$38.02

-3.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.37

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

$20.4K R$101.9K

$22.6K R$113.2K

-10.03%

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

$27.1K R$135.6K

$28.1K R$140.8K

-3.67%

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

$104 R$519

$52.1 R$261

99.33%

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

$12.18 R$61.0

$8.07 R$40.38

50.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$93.6

$18.26 R$91.4

2.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$128

$22.39 R$112

14.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$122

$21.20 R$106

14.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.05

$7.35 R$36.76

-10.20%

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

$542 R$2,712

$321 R$1,608

68.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.1K

$8,688 R$43.5K

35.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$221

$55.8 R$279

-20.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$210

$57.3 R$287

-26.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$385

$75.0 R$376

2.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$310

$75.8 R$379

-18.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,194

$356 R$1,784

23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,654

$272 R$1,359

21.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,196

$708 R$3,543

18.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,849

$540 R$2,704

5.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$16.8K

$1,759 R$8,800

90.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$6,950

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,743

$375 R$1,877

46.14%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubatuba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $356 in Ubatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 46% 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 $26.00 in Ubatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $157 per month, with Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Ubatuba differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $822 including rent). Ubatuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 46% 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: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $356 in Ubatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 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 $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $822 in Ubatuba – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $822 in Ubatuba versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ubatuba but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.