Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Jérôme and Rio de Janeiro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro: $1,289 a month against $1,660 in Saint-Jérôme, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Saint-Jérôme
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,660
/mo nomad
Rio de Janeiro
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,289
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint-Jérôme 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 Saint-Jérôme and in Rio de Janeiro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Saint-Jérôme versus $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Saint-Jérôme $1,660
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,289

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,634 in Saint-Jérôme versus $1,868 in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Saint-Jérôme $2,634
  • Rio de Janeiro $1,868

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,608 in Saint-Jérôme versus $2,448 in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Saint-Jérôme $3,608
  • Rio de Janeiro $2,448

Living in Saint-Jérôme is roughly 29% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint-Jérôme is 23% above, Rio de Janeiro is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.17 CA$21.44
$10.06 R$51.0
50.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.6 CA$98.4
$40.44 R$205
72.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.52 CA$14.87
$8.55 R$43.35
23.04%
Cappuccino
$3.05 CA$4.31
$2.38 R$12.04
28.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 CA$3.36
$1.61 R$8.18
47.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 CA$2.83
$1.03 R$5.22
94.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.02 CA$7.10
$2.47 R$12.54
103.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.47 CA$9.15
$3.70 R$18.77
74.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.18 CA$4.50
$1.19 R$6.05
167.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 CA$3.60
$2.05 R$10.38
24.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.53 CA$4.99
$1.28 R$6.49
175.78%
Eggs
$3.45 CA$4.87
$2.29 R$11.60
50.66%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.10 CA$8.62
$10.76 R$54.5
-43.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.45 CA$21.84
$4.41 R$22.36
250.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.54 CA$24.80
$9.84 R$49.86
78.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 CA$5.09
$2.81 R$14.25
28.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.49 CA$3.52
$1.78 R$9.03
39.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.61 CA$6.51
$1.60 R$8.13
188.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 CA$5.92
$1.80 R$9.11
132.78%
Potato (1kg)
$2.86 CA$4.04
$1.22 R$6.17
134.43%
Onion (1kg)
$2.53 CA$3.57
$1.04 R$5.26
143.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.37 CA$3.36
$0.77 R$3.92
207.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.77 CA$5.33
$0.67 R$3.38
462.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.39 CA$14.69
$3.01 R$15.27
245.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.55 CA$14.91
$8.08 R$40.94
30.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 CA$2.40
$1.19 R$6.03
42.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 CA$5.03
$2.51 R$12.73
41.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.04 CA$4.30
$0.99 R$5.00
207.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$72.6 CA$103
$50.1 R$254
44.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.22 R$6.20
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.92 R$4.66
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.97 R$45.45
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 CA$2.07
$1.30 R$6.57
12.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$23.9K R$121.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$32.9K R$166.6K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.9 CA$79.0
$133 R$676
-58.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.45 CA$47.28
$10.82 R$54.8
209.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.37 CA$59.9
$22.90 R$116
85.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.22 CA$20.10
$30.79 R$156
-53.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$31.85 R$161
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.48 CA$11.99
$8.05 R$40.83
5.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$598 R$3,029
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$13.4K R$68.0K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.1 CA$75.1
$42.04 R$213
26.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.54 CA$27.62
$49.68 R$252
-60.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 CA$146
$74.5 R$378
38.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.9 CA$97.3
$68.7 R$348
0.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$778 CA$1,100
$903 R$4,578
-13.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$647 CA$914
$529 R$2,684
22.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,399 CA$1,978
$1,326 R$6,724
5.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,174 CA$1,660
$756 R$3,831
55.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,010 R$20.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,560 R$7,910
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint-Jérôme
Rio de Janeiro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,628 CA$3,715
$640 R$3,242
310.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
11.93
-58.09%

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

Last update for Saint-Jérôme: October 10, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saint-Jérôme
$647
Rio de Janeiro
$529 18.1% $117
Groceries & Markets
Saint-Jérôme
$411
Rio de Janeiro
$215 47.7% $196
Eating Out
Saint-Jérôme
$245
Rio de Janeiro
$165 32.7% $80
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Jérôme
$132
Rio de Janeiro
$167 26.9% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Jérôme
$110
Rio de Janeiro
$106 4% $4.4
Getting Around
Saint-Jérôme
$85 *
Rio de Janeiro
$60 29.3% $25
Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Jérôme
$31
Rio de Janeiro
$47 50.3% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $778 in Saint-Jérôme and $903 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint-Jérôme pays 311% 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: $70.0 in Saint-Jérôme vs $40.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $215 per month, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Saint-Jérôme
🇧🇷 Rio de Janeiro
🕒 Local time
13:06 1:06 PM
14:06 2:06 PM
1 h ahead of Saint-Jérôme
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
80,213
6,211,223
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saint-Jérôme Rio de Janeiro 8,250 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saint-Jérôme
  • 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
Saint-Jérôme vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Saint-Jérôme and in Rio de Janeiro?
Saint-Jérôme and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,289 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Saint-Jérôme or Rio de Janeiro?
Average pay runs 311% higher in Saint-Jérôme, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Saint-Jérôme and in Rio de Janeiro?
Rent for a central apartment: $778 in Saint-Jérôme versus $903 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $70.0 in Saint-Jérôme. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How do commuting costs compare in Saint-Jérôme and in Rio de Janeiro?
A monthly transit pass in Rio de Janeiro runs roughly 45% less than in Saint-Jérôme. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,289 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,660 in Saint-Jérôme, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Saint-Jérôme. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Saint-Jérôme and Rio de Janeiro?
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.
Where should expats move: Saint-Jérôme or Rio de Janeiro?
Expats usually find Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Saint-Jérôme. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Saint-Jérôme vs other spots: cost of living compared

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