Cost of living in Rio de Janeiro in 2015
Rio de Janeiro is considered to be one of most expensive cities to live in Brazil, and over the last decade the prices have become even more inflated. In this article we will outline some of the prices practiced in the city to give you an idea of the cost of living in Rio.
After being chosen to host the Olympics Games in 2016, Rio de Janeiro saw a sudden boom in prices not only for real estate, but also for basic everyday needs like food and transportation. In fact, Rio was never among the most affordable places to live or to visit, as it is one of the top tourist destinations in the country.
Accommodation Prices
Rio de Janeiro has one of the highest number of hotel rooms in the entire country totalling 34 thousand as of March 2015. Even though it is expected that nearly 51 thousand rooms will be available by 2016 for the Olympics, the high number of rooms seems to not drag the prices of accomodation down. According to data published in August 2015 by the website Trivago, the average price of one night is around BRL 450.
The average sale price of real estate in 2015 is about BRL10 617 per m2, but there are areas where it can reach BRL 45 000. The approximate rental prices in August 2015 are as follows:
| Type of apartment | Price |
| Renting a 50 m2 furnished apartment in Laranjeiras | BRL 3800 per month |
| Renting a 70 m2 furnished apartment in Copacabana | BRL 5600 per month |
| Renting a 55 m2 furnished apartment in Leblon | BRL 6200 per month |
Transportation
The public transportation system in Rio de Janeiro covers a very limited area of the city and is extremely deficient. Metro trains have slightly better standards compared to buses, but they do not cover the entire city. Since public transportation is poor, most tourists and locals rely on their own cars or taxis to get around in Rio de Janeiro.
| Item | Price |
| Metro single fare | BRL 3.70 |
| Bus single fare | BRL 3.40 |
| Regular taxi | BRL 5.20 + BRL 2.05 or BRL 2.46 per kilometer |
| 1 litre of gasoline | BRL 3.70 |
Food and Beverage
Food and beverages are often quite expensive in Rio de Janeiro. The following prices are as of August 2015.
| Item | Price |
| Loaf of whole grain bread | BRL 6.85 |
| 300g corn flakes | BRL 11.30 |
| 200 grams of ham | BRL 6.87 |
| 150 grams of Philadelphia cream cheese | BRL 5.00 |
| 240 grams of strawberry jam | BRL 20.00 |
| 600 ml Coca Cola | BRL 2.89 |
| 1kg of potatoes | BRL 6.00 |
| 1kg of carrots | BRL 3.00 |
| 1kg of tomatoes | BRL 6.00 |
| 1kg of onions | BRL 9.00 |
| 1kg of apples | BRL 4.00 |
| 1kg of oranges | BRL 1.50 |
| 1kg of bananas | BRL 1.50 |
| 1kg of steak beef | BRL 39.00 |
| 1L milk | BRL 5.00 |
| 1.5L bottled water | BRL 1.89 |
| 250 ml of body soap | BRL 5.50 |
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | BRL 6.30 |
| 500 ml of olive oil | BRL 16.90 |
| 1kg of wheat flour | BRL 3.50 |
| 500g of dry pasta | BRL 5.00 |
| Canned tuna 170g | BRL 6.90 |
| Canned peas 200g | BRL 1.55 |
| 150g chocolate bar | BRL 6.00 |
| 500g of coffee powder | BRL 7.50 |
| 6 eggs | BRL 3.00 |
| 2L Coca Cola | BRL 4.99 |
| 300 ml of mainstream local beer | BRL 2.20 |
| 500 ml of imported beer | BRL 18.00 |
| Big Mac Menu | BRL 20.00 |
| European style lunch (sandwich + coffee) | BRL 20.00 |
| Simple Brazilian style lunch (french roll and butter + juice + coffee) | BRL 12.00 |
| Nice Brazilian style lunch (hot dish + dessert) | BRL 50-70.00 |
| Tall Starbucks Cappuccino | BRL 10.00 |
Entertainment
The average price for different entertainment options in Rio de Janeiro are:
| Cinema ticket | BRL 25.00 |
| 3D Cinema ticket | BRL 30.00 |
| Monthly gym membership | BRL 180.00 |
| Theatre ticket | BRL 100.00 |
| Concert - National artist | BRL 100.00 |
| Football match ticket | BRL 80.00 |
| Entry to a night club | BRL 50.00 |