Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,273 a month against $2,512 in Rochester, MN, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

122

Cost of Living Index in Rochester, MN
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Rochester, MN Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Rio de Janeiro
Learn more

Rio de Janeiro Living Index

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Rochester, MN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Rio de Janeiro

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,273

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rochester, MN and in Rio de Janeiro

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rochester, MN and in Rio de Janeiro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,512 in Rochester, MN versus $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro.

Rochester, MN $2,512
Rio de Janeiro $1,273

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,838 in Rochester, MN versus $1,841 in Rio de Janeiro.

Rochester, MN $3,838
Rio de Janeiro $1,841

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,164 in Rochester, MN versus $2,409 in Rio de Janeiro.

Rochester, MN $5,164
Rio de Janeiro $2,409

Living in Rochester, MN is roughly 97% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rochester, MN is 85% above, Rio de Janeiro is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$9.38 R$47.54

112.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$40.00 R$203

83.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$8.34 R$42.28

32.61%

Cappuccino

$5.83 $5.83

$2.29 R$11.62

154.59%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$1.59 R$8.05

77.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.01 R$5.10

143.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.14 R$10.85

135.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 $5.67

$3.66 R$18.55

54.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.13 R$5.72

-23.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.09 R$10.60

37.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.25 R$6.36

160.80%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$2.25 R$11.39

62.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 $9.31

$10.92 R$55.3

-14.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 $12.22

$4.36 R$22.10

180.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$9.60 R$48.66

96.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$2.85 R$14.46

82.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.81 R$9.16

-16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$1.58 R$8.02

170.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.83 R$9.28

109.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.20 R$6.10

80.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.06 R$5.35

239.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.75 R$3.81

262.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$0.68 R$3.45

327.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.83 $9.83

$2.94 R$14.90

234.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.15 $15.15

$7.98 R$40.43

89.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.18 R$5.98

43.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.42 R$12.26

21.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.94 R$4.78

110.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.25 $42.25

$50.3 R$255

-16.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.20 R$6.10

68.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.83 R$4.20

53.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.82 $19.82

$8.97 R$45.48

120.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.29 R$6.53

-33.33%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$22.8K R$115.5K

19.50%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$34.0K R$172.1K

-24.15%

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

$169 $169

$134 R$681

26.16%

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

$47.11 $47.11

$10.73 R$54.4

339.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.05 $44.05

$22.84 R$116

92.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 $53.2

$30.16 R$153

76.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.18 $20.18

$31.49 R$160

-35.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 $10.09

$7.73 R$39.17

30.53%

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

$1,352 $1,352

$584 R$2,960

131.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$12.8K R$64.9K

-7.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 $62.4

$41.12 R$208

51.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 $62.7

$49.26 R$250

27.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 $73.9

$73.7 R$373

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 $86.4

$65.9 R$334

30.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 $1,645

$900 R$4,561

82.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$527 R$2,673

143.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 $2,035

$1,332 R$6,754

52.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$748 R$3,790

218.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,165 $2,165

$3,990 R$20.2K

-45.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,961 $1,961

$1,560 R$7,908

25.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,617 $4,617

$640 R$3,246

620.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

11.93

-44.93%

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

Last update for Rochester, MN: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rochester, MN

$1.3K 51.1%

Rio de Janeiro

$527 41.4% 58.9% $757

Groceries & Markets

Rochester, MN

$386 15.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$214 16.8% 44.7% $173

Eating Out

Rochester, MN

$321 12.8%

Rio de Janeiro

$156 12.3% 51.3% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rochester, MN

$261 10.4%

Rio de Janeiro

$168 13.2% 35.6% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Rochester, MN

$128 5.1%

Rio de Janeiro

$103 8.1% 19.4% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Rochester, MN

$73 2.9%

Rio de Janeiro

$46 3.6% 37.8% $28

Getting Around

Rochester, MN

$59 2.3%

Rio de Janeiro

$59 4.7% 1.5% $0.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,645 in Rochester, MN and $900 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rochester, MN pays 621% 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: $74.0 in Rochester, MN vs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $214 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Rochester, MN

🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro

🕒 Local time

02:35 2:35 AM

04:35 4:35 AM

2 h ahead of Rochester, MN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

211,328

6,211,223

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rochester, MN Rio de Janeiro 8,970 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Rochester, MN
Rio de Janeiro

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Rochester, MN vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rochester, MN and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($2,512 vs $1,273 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 621% higher in Rochester, MN, 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: $1,645 in Rochester, MN versus $900 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $74.0 in Rochester, MN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,512 per month in Rochester, MN versus $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,273 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,512 in Rochester, MN, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Rochester, MN. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Rochester, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.