Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,186 in Somerset West versus $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,965 in Somerset West versus $1,809 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,744 in Somerset West versus $2,402 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Somerset West costs roughly 3% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Somerset West 14% lower, Rio de Janeiro 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.27 R 198

$9.47 R$48.53

29.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.27 R 761

$39.19 R$201

20.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 R 92.4

$8.53 R$43.74

-32.71%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.22

$2.32 R$11.90

-8.62%

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

$1.07 R 17.18

$1.59 R$8.13

-32.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.33

$1.05 R$5.36

-9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R 44.01

$2.27 R$11.65

20.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 R 55.7

$3.30 R$16.91

4.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 16.92

$1.11 R$5.69

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R 16.60

$2.03 R$10.42

-49.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.38

$1.36 R$6.95

56.62%

Eggs

$2.34 R 37.69

$2.24 R$11.48

4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 R 144

$10.42 R$53.4

-14.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.5

$4.25 R$21.81

28.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 R 156

$9.78 R$50.1

-0.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.03

$2.62 R$13.45

-26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.07

$1.82 R$9.31

9.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.51

$1.59 R$8.15

7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.76

$1.82 R$9.35

-5.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.26

$1.28 R$6.58

22.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.79

$1.02 R$5.22

50.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 R 22.24

$0.70 R$3.58

97.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 17.07

$0.67 R$3.44

58.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 R 55.8

$2.93 R$15.00

18.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 R 103

$8.54 R$43.79

-25.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 R 23.12

$1.17 R$5.97

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.56

$2.47 R$12.64

-25.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 R 19.43

$0.97 R$4.95

24.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 986

$50.1 R$257

22.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.41

$1.18 R$6.07

-44.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 R 25.74

$0.87 R$4.46

83.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 R 81.4

$8.88 R$45.51

-43.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 23.14

$1.26 R$6.44

14.29%

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

$30.3K R 487.4K

$23.6K R$121.2K

27.98%

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

$30.0K R 483.3K

$32.9K R$168.6K

-8.76%

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

$86.2 R 1,388

$136 R$697

-36.64%

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

$31.45 R 506

$11.93 R$61.1

163.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.32 R 649

$21.66 R$111

86.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.98 R 757

$30.09 R$154

56.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 R 179

$29.51 R$151

-62.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 120

$7.72 R$39.59

-3.63%

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

$265 R 4,267

$550 R$2,819

-51.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,814 R 61.4K

$13.3K R$68.3K

-71.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.05 R 516

$40.22 R$206

-20.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.89 R 514

$47.82 R$245

-33.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 R 1,168

$72.9 R$373

-0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 R 961

$65.1 R$334

-8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 R 10.8K

$821 R$4,207

-18.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 R 7,029

$498 R$2,554

-12.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 R 22.0K

$1,285 R$6,585

6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 R 15.7K

$716 R$3,673

36.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,316 R 21.2K

$3,890 R$19.9K

-66.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 R 14.8K

$1,482 R$7,595

-37.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,476 R 23.8K

$649 R$3,329

127.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

11.93

-15.17%

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

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $670 in Somerset West and $821 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 127% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Somerset West vs $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $212, with Somerset West 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

Somerset West vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset West and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,186 vs $1,217 including rent). Somerset West is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 127% higher in Somerset West, 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: $670 in Somerset West versus $821 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Somerset West – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,186 per month in Somerset West versus $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,186 in Somerset West versus $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Somerset West but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Somerset West 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.

Safety-wise, Somerset West and Rio de Janeiro are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Somerset West gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.