City, Brazil

Cost of living in Rio de Janeiro

Updated October 2026Sources

How much a month costs in Rio de Janeiro

For one person, including rent. A comfortable month costs about $1,720–2,680 (R$9,000–14,000).

Lean$862–1,240R$4,500–6,500 · Room or studio, local food

Comfortable$1,720–2,680R$9,000–14,000 · 1-bed apartment, eating out daily

Luxury$3,830–6,700R$20,000–35,000 · Upscale apartment, restaurants, taxis

Prices in Rio de Janeiro

Typical 2026 ranges in BRL, rounded. US$ at the 03 Oct 2026 exchange rate.

Item	BRL	US$
Housing
1-bedroom apartment, center (month)	R$3,500–7,000	$670–1,340
1-bedroom apartment, outside center (month)	R$2,200–4,000	$421–766
Hostel dorm bed (night)	R$70–150	$13–29
Mid-range hotel room (night)	R$350–800	$67–153
Food and drink
Local meal or street food	R$30–55	$5.7–10.5
Mid-range restaurant, per person	R$80–170	$15–33
Cappuccino	R$9–16	$1.7–3.1
Local beer, 0.5 l in a bar	R$14–25	$2.7–4.8
Getting around
Public transport, one ride	R$5–9	$1.0–1.7
Ride-hailing or taxi, about 5 km	R$18–35	$3.4–6.7
Work and life
Coworking day pass	R$80–160	$15–31
Gym membership (month)	R$100–250	$19–48
Mobile data, 20–50 GB (month)	R$40–80	$7.7–15.3

Value for money: 35/100

A value score of 35/100 means Rio de Janeiro gives more quality of life per dollar than 34% of the 1,319 places we cover. Quality here scores 64/100. It's the 28th most affordable of 30 places we cover in Brazil.

Quality factor	Score
Safety	50
Air quality	87
Internet	82
Healthcare	65
Weather	67
Friendly locals	75
English	25

Cost of living across Brazil

One person, comfortable lifestyle, including rent.

Place	Comfortable month	Value
Chapada Diamantina	$957–1,530	86/100
Ouro Preto	$957–1,530	83/100
Natal	$1,050–1,530	76/100
Manaus	$1,050–1,630	69/100
Maceió	$1,050–1,630	73/100
Itacaré	$1,050–1,630	81/100
Lençóis Maranhenses	$1,050–1,630	77/100
Foz do Iguaçu	$1,150–1,720	76/100
Porto de Galinhas	$1,150–1,720	75/100
Belo Horizonte	$1,150–1,820	61/100
Porto Alegre	$1,190–1,820	67/100
Belém	$1,240–1,820	56/100
Salvador	$1,240–1,910	65/100
Ilha Grande	$1,240–1,910	67/100
Paraty	$1,240–1,910	67/100
Recife	$1,240–1,910	62/100
Fortaleza	$1,240–1,910	64/100
Pipa	$1,240–1,910	70/100
Brasília	$1,240–1,910	61/100
Morro de São Paulo	$1,240–1,910	72/100
Curitiba	$1,240–1,910	61/100
Gramado	$1,340–2,010	63/100
Jericoacoara	$1,340–2,110	59/100
Bonito	$1,440–2,110	62/100
Búzios	$1,440–2,300	59/100
Balneário Camboriú	$1,530–2,300	55/100
Florianópolis	$1,530–2,390	55/100
Rio de Janeiro	$1,720–2,680	35/100
São Paulo	$1,720–2,680	34/100
Fernando de Noronha	$2,300–3,640	29/100

Cheaper alternatives to Rio de Janeiro

Similar safety, lower cost, in South America.

Place	Country	Comfortable month
Sucre	Bolivia	$457–706
Uyuni	Bolivia	$499–831
Huaraz	Peru	$697–1,100
Huacachina	Peru	$726–1,160
Salta	Argentina	$788–1,310

Quick answers

How much money do you need per month in Rio de Janeiro?

About $862–1,240 on a lean budget, $1,720–2,680 for a comfortable month and $3,830–6,700 for a luxury one, rent included.

How much is rent in Rio de Janeiro?

A furnished 1-bedroom apartment costs R$3,500–7,000 ($670–1,340) a month in the center and R$2,200–4,000 ($421–766) outside it.

How much does food cost in Rio de Janeiro?

A local meal is R$30–55 ($5.7–10.5); a mid-range restaurant is R$80–170 ($15–33) per person.

Is Brazil expensive?

Prices in Brazil are about 46% of US price levels (World Bank PPP).

More about Rio de Janeiro

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Sources

Prices are SoloSquare estimates for 2026, reviewed against official and operator prices where available. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.