Buenos Aires vs Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living
Buenos Aires (Argentina) · Overall index 37.3 — Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) · Overall index 34.8
Summary
- Overall, Rio de Janeiro is 7% cheaper than Buenos Aires.
- Telecom in Rio de Janeiro is 17% cheaper than in Buenos Aires.
- Transport in Rio de Janeiro is 11% cheaper than in Buenos Aires.
| Item | Buenos Aires | Rio de Janeiro | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +1% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,039 | $1,094 | +5% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $720 | $716 | -1% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,957 | $2,097 | +7% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,427 | $1,336 | -6% |
| Groceries | -6% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.67 | $0.56 | -16% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.94 | $1.68 | -13% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.2 | $2.23 | +1% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.15 | $1.92 | -11% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $6.64 | $5.66 | -15% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.42 | $5.69 | -11% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $9.29 | $7.82 | -16% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.55 | $2.48 | -3% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.03 | $0.91 | -12% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.18 | $2.17 | 0% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.51 | $2.69 | +7% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.39 | $1.41 | +1% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.22 | $1.37 | +12% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.13 | $1.03 | -9% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.19 | $1.13 | -5% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7 | $6.11 | -13% |
| Transport | -11% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1 | $0.85 | -15% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $46.7 | $45.1 | -3% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.79 | $1.45 | -19% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.85 | $0.76 | -11% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.37 | $0.33 | -11% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,087 | $9,328 | -8% |
| Dining out | -4% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.77 | $9.25 | +5% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $51.1 | $43.7 | -14% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.02 | $4.67 | -7% |
| Cappuccino | $2.15 | $2.15 | 0% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.06 | $0.88 | -17% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.96 | $2.63 | -11% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.3 | $3.39 | +3% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.8 | $0.87 | +9% |
| Telecom | -17% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $35.3 | $29.5 | -16% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $39.4 | $30.7 | -22% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.18 | $0.15 | -17% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.1 | $7.03 | -13% |
| Utilities & household | -8% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $77.6 | $81 | +4% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.11 | $0.11 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.47 | $1.96 | -21% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.67 | $0.64 | -4% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $11.9 | $10.3 | -13% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $40.9 | $34.8 | -15% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.07 | $7.42 | -8% |
| Men's haircut | $14.3 | $14.1 | -1% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $11.8 | $10.2 | -14% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $888 | $871 | -2% |
2,918 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
Keep your standard of living
Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
Compare other cities
vs