Rio de Janeiro vs São Paulo Cost of Living
Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) · Overall index 34.8 — São Paulo (Brazil) · Overall index 35.9
Summary
- Overall, São Paulo is 3% more expensive than Rio de Janeiro.
- Telecom in São Paulo is 11% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro.
- Utilities & household in São Paulo is 5% more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro.
| Item | Rio de Janeiro | São Paulo | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -3% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,094 | $966 | -12% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $716 | $665 | -7% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,097 | $2,186 | +4% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,336 | $1,366 | +2% |
| Groceries | +5% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.56 | $0.55 | -2% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.68 | $1.73 | +3% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.23 | $2.36 | +6% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.92 | $2.35 | +22% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.66 | $7.12 | +26% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.69 | $6.35 | +12% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.82 | $8.01 | +2% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.48 | $2.5 | +1% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.91 | $1.05 | +15% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.17 | $1.99 | -8% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.69 | $2.58 | -4% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.41 | $1.33 | -6% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.37 | $1.38 | +1% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.03 | $1.07 | +4% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.13 | $1.12 | -1% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.11 | $6.84 | +12% |
| Transport | +4% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.85 | $0.91 | +7% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $45.1 | $42.2 | -6% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.45 | $1.64 | +13% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.76 | $0.64 | -16% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.33 | $0.37 | +12% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $9,328 | $10,655 | +14% |
| Dining out | +1% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $9.25 | $8.37 | -10% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $43.7 | $48.8 | +12% |
| Fast food combo meal | $4.67 | $4.92 | +5% |
| Cappuccino | $2.15 | $2.15 | 0% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.88 | $1.15 | +31% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.63 | $2.74 | +4% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.39 | $3.05 | -10% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.87 | $0.75 | -14% |
| Telecom | +11% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $29.5 | $33.7 | +14% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $30.7 | $33 | +7% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.15 | $0.18 | +20% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $7.03 | $7.35 | +5% |
| Utilities & household | +5% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $81 | $88.5 | +9% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.11 | $0.11 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.96 | $2.26 | +15% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.64 | $0.64 | 0% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.3 | $10.7 | +4% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $34.8 | $34 | -2% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.42 | $6.59 | -11% |
| Men's haircut | $14.1 | $13.8 | -2% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $10.2 | $12.6 | +24% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $871 | $1,022 | +17% |
3,038 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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