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: $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $740 in Volta Redonda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,196 in Volta Redonda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,653 in Volta Redonda.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 28% more expensive than in Volta Redonda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Volta Redonda 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.42

$7.08 R$36.07

3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$180

$26.58 R$135

33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.00

$5.49 R$27.93

14.39%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.68

$2.09 R$10.64

-9.09%

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

$1.29 R$6.55

$1.18 R$6.03

9.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.64

$0.91 R$4.65

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.91

$2.19 R$11.17

-20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.92

$2.87 R$14.60

-4.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.75

$0.82 R$4.19

37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.70

$1.47 R$7.46

16.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.26

$1.11 R$5.64

28.83%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.38

$2.18 R$11.08

-6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.43

$11.13 R$56.7

-30.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.75

$4.33 R$22.03

-19.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.77

$8.96 R$45.61

-10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.72

$2.71 R$13.78

-15.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.01

$1.90 R$9.67

-17.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.70

$1.69 R$8.60

-10.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.87

$1.83 R$9.30

-15.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.34

$1.44 R$7.31

-13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.31 R$6.65

-14.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$1.00 R$5.10

-36.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.89

$0.20 R$1.02

185.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.18

$2.48 R$12.64

-19.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.33

$8.46 R$43.09

-6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.41

$1.27 R$6.45

-0.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.43

$1.24 R$6.30

65.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.56

$0.73 R$3.73

76.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$201

$38.23 R$195

3.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.43

$1.07 R$5.44

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.38

$0.76 R$3.87

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.64

$9.42 R$47.96

-21.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.64

$1.10 R$5.60

0.91%

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

$20.7K R$105.3K

$21.8K R$111.2K

-5.27%

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

$27.5K R$140.1K

$28.3K R$143.8K

-2.60%

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

$103 R$524

$54.2 R$276

89.96%

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

$11.99 R$61.0

$9.96 R$50.7

20.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.2

$20.01 R$102

-7.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$17.87 R$91.0

46.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$124

$21.96 R$112

11.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.27

$4.38 R$22.28

44.75%

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

$554 R$2,820

$178 R$906

211.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.0K

$15.4K R$78.2K

-23.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$230

$41.81 R$213

8.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$212

$35.79 R$182

16.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$389

$44.98 R$229

70.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$315

$74.3 R$378

-16.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,260

$244 R$1,244

81.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,657

$180 R$917

80.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,311

$593 R$3,019

42.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,941

$321 R$1,632

80.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.6K

$819 R$4,171

346.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,509

$672 R$3,420

119.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,023

$288 R$1,466

106.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

11.56

-1.99%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Volta Redonda: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Rio de Janeiro and $244 in Volta Redonda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 106% 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: $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27.00 in Volta Redonda. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $198, 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 Volta Redonda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Volta Redonda differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($945 vs $740 including rent). Volta Redonda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 106% 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: $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $244 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 $27.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $945 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $740 in Volta Redonda – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Volta Redonda 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 Volta Redonda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.