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: $1,004 in Somerset West versus $952 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,632 in Somerset West versus $1,490 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,261 in Somerset West versus $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Somerset West is roughly 5% more expensive than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Somerset West 25% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.36 R 135

$7.33 R$37.12

14.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 R 622

$36.43 R$184

5.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 R 76.9

$6.27 R$31.74

-24.24%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R 33.52

$1.98 R$10.00

4.55%

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

$0.82 R 13.31

$1.27 R$6.42

-35.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R 13.42

$0.84 R$4.27

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 R 41.90

$1.77 R$8.98

46.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R 41.45

$2.77 R$14.04

-7.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R 15.45

$1.11 R$5.60

-13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 R 14.44

$1.71 R$8.65

-47.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 R 29.74

$1.48 R$7.48

24.32%

Eggs

$2.11 R 34.06

$2.00 R$10.11

5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 R 120

$7.77 R$39.35

-4.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 R 77.2

$3.63 R$18.35

31.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 R 119

$8.07 R$40.88

-8.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.13

$2.31 R$11.67

-32.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 23.97

$1.57 R$7.97

-5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.30

$1.46 R$7.39

-1.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.95

$1.52 R$7.67

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 R 17.43

$1.26 R$6.38

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.05

$1.16 R$5.87

6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.82

$0.64 R$3.26

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.49

$0.57 R$2.88

68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R 48.49

$1.95 R$9.86

53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 R 96.0

$8.54 R$43.22

-30.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 21.91

$1.22 R$6.16

11.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 26.91

$2.05 R$10.40

-19.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.62 R 26.16

$1.25 R$6.31

29.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.19 R$198

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 R 22.91

$1.12 R$5.67

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.39

$0.67 R$3.37

41.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 R 73.5

$7.43 R$37.61

-38.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 19.98

$1.12 R$5.66

10.71%

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

$19.6K R 316.1K

$20.5K R$103.6K

-4.47%

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

$22.6K R 366.0K

$27.1K R$137.0K

-16.32%

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

$69.1 R 1,118

$103 R$519

-32.59%

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

$29.74 R 481

$12.09 R$61.2

145.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.71 R 674

$19.19 R$97.1

117.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.99 R 630

$26.29 R$133

48.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 R$120

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 R 109

$6.46 R$32.71

4.33%

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

$210 R 3,392

$537 R$2,716

-60.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,406 R 55.1K

$11.7K R$59.1K

-70.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.15 R 504

$45.16 R$229

-31.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.76 R 433

$41.03 R$208

-34.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 R 1,037

$75.6 R$383

-15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R 1,027

$59.9 R$303

6.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 R 10.1K

$440 R$2,225

42.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 R 6,437

$325 R$1,645

22.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 R 19.8K

$857 R$4,341

42.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$866 R 14.0K

$576 R$2,917

50.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,230 R 19.9K

$3,415 R$17.3K

-63.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$900 R 14.5K

$1,469 R$7,437

-38.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,440 R 23.3K

$536 R$2,714

168.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.33

-7.33%

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

Last update for Somerset West: June 9, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $628 in Somerset West and $440 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 169% 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 Somerset West vs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $185, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,004 vs $952 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Somerset West pays 169% more on average, 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: $628 in Somerset West versus $440 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $210 in Somerset West versus $537 in Rio de Janeiro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $38.00 in Somerset West. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $952 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,004 in Somerset West, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Somerset West. 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.

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 Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Somerset West. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.