Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Volta Redonda Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Volta Redonda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro versus $768 in Volta Redonda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,230 in Volta Redonda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,692 in Volta Redonda.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 57% more expensive than in Volta Redonda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Volta Redonda 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 R$43.35

$2.81 R$14.34

202.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 R$194

$38.73 R$198

-1.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 R$38.85

$6.41 R$32.70

18.88%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.43

$2.53 R$12.91

-11.46%

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

$1.56 R$7.93

$1.30 R$6.64

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R$5.29

$0.55 R$2.82

89.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.57

$2.37 R$12.11

-4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.86

$4.14 R$21.10

-20.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.65

$0.98 R$5.02

13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 R$9.99

$1.82 R$9.26

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.77

$1.15 R$5.85

15.65%

Eggs

$2.22 R$11.32

$2.36 R$12.04

-5.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 R$52.8

$6.89 R$35.13

50.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$22.04

$3.18 R$16.22

35.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.42 R$48.04

$9.48 R$48.36

-0.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.46

$2.11 R$10.75

25.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.79

$1.15 R$5.86

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.76

$1.00 R$5.09

52.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.11

$1.87 R$9.53

-4.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.45 R$7.38

-15.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.24 R$6.34

-16.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.56

$0.59 R$3.02

18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.21

$0.46 R$2.36

36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 R$14.82

$1.56 R$7.98

86.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$39.97

$8.45 R$43.07

-7.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.62

$1.06 R$5.39

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.04

$1.69 R$8.59

51.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.09

$0.87 R$4.46

14.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$250

$34.77 R$177

40.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.06

$1.56 R$7.97

-23.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.47

$0.97 R$4.96

-9.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.97 R$45.76

$9.99 R$50.9

-10.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.19 R$6.09

5.88%

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

$23.3K R$119.1K

-0.00%

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

$32.2K R$164.3K

$32.9K R$167.8K

-2.04%

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

$132 R$672

$93.2 R$476

41.23%

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

$10.95 R$55.9

$10.82 R$55.2

1.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.95 R$112

$21.55 R$110

1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.50 R$145

$29.50 R$150

-3.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$154

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 R$39.80

$7.15 R$36.46

9.09%

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

$538 R$2,743

$143 R$730

275.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K R$65.3K

$2,917 R$14.9K

338.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.62 R$207

$44.87 R$229

-9.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 R$236

$37.95 R$194

22.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 R$355

$48.38 R$247

44.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.6 R$330

$83.3 R$425

-22.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 R$4,222

$271 R$1,384

205.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 R$2,384

$190 R$969

145.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,444

$572 R$2,916

120.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R$3,687

$360 R$1,836

100.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,042 R$20.6K

$810 R$4,131

399.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 R$7,707

$662 R$3,376

128.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 R$3,127

$292 R$1,487

110.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

12.04

-0.91%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Last update for Volta Redonda: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Rio de Janeiro and $271 in Volta Redonda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 110% 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: $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $39.00 in Volta Redonda. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $178, with Volta Redonda 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 Volta Redonda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Volta Redonda differ by about 57% in total monthly costs ($1,205 vs $768 including rent). Volta Redonda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 110% 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: $828 in Rio de Janeiro versus $271 in Volta Redonda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Volta Redonda – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,205 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $768 in Volta Redonda – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $768 in Volta Redonda versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Volta Redonda but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Volta Redonda 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 Volta Redonda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.