Rio de Janeiro vs Buenos Aires Cost of Living
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) · Overall index 34.8 — Buenos Aires (Argentina) · Overall index 37.3
Summary
- Overall, Buenos Aires is 7% more expensive than Rio de Janeiro.
- Telecom in Buenos Aires is 21% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro.
- Transport in Buenos Aires is 13% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro.
| Item | Rio de Janeiro | Buenos Aires | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -1% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,094 | $1,039 | -5% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $716 | $720 | +1% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,097 | $1,957 | -7% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,336 | $1,427 | +7% |
| Groceries | +7% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.56 | $0.67 | +20% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.68 | $1.94 | +15% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.23 | $2.2 | -1% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.92 | $2.15 | +12% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.66 | $6.64 | +17% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.69 | $6.42 | +13% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.82 | $9.29 | +19% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.48 | $2.55 | +3% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.91 | $1.03 | +13% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.17 | $2.18 | 0% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.69 | $2.51 | -7% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.41 | $1.39 | -1% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.37 | $1.22 | -11% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.03 | $1.13 | +10% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.13 | $1.19 | +5% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.11 | $7 | +15% |
| Transport | +13% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.85 | $1 | +18% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $45.1 | $46.7 | +4% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.45 | $1.79 | +23% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.76 | $0.85 | +12% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.33 | $0.37 | +12% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $9,328 | $10,087 | +8% |
| Dining out | +4% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $9.25 | $8.77 | -5% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $43.7 | $51.1 | +17% |
| Fast food combo meal | $4.67 | $5.02 | +7% |
| Cappuccino | $2.15 | $2.15 | 0% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.88 | $1.06 | +20% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $2.96 | +13% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.39 | $3.3 | -3% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.87 | $0.8 | -8% |
| Telecom | +21% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $29.5 | $35.3 | +20% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $30.7 | $39.4 | +28% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.18 | +20% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.03 | $8.1 | +15% |
| Utilities & household | +9% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $81 | $77.6 | -4% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.11 | $0.11 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.96 | $2.47 | +26% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.64 | $0.67 | +5% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.3 | $11.9 | +16% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $34.8 | $40.9 | +18% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.42 | $8.07 | +9% |
| Men's haircut | $14.1 | $14.3 | +1% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $10.2 | $11.8 | +16% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $871 | $888 | +2% |
2,918 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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