Rio de Janeiro vs Amapá Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Amapá leads on CPI (20 vs 21.8, NYC=100), Amapá leads on rent index, and Rio de Janeiro leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Amapá
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Housing (18% gap, Amapá ahead); Utilities (18% gap, Amapá ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $47 lower in Amapá than in Rio de Janeiro (~18% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $47 (favoring Amapá).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Amapá | CPI 20 vs 21.8 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Amapá | Rent index 5.3 vs 6.5 (lower is better) |
| Food | Amapá | Groceries index 24.2 vs 27.2 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Amapá | One-way ticket 1.74 vs 1.94 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Amapá | Utilities (85m²) 57.24 vs 70.2 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Amapá | Internet 115.67 vs 129.65 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Amapá | Restaurant index 16.8 vs 18 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Rio de Janeiro | Avg net salary 8503.92 vs 6997.32 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Rio de Janeiro | PP index 25.4 vs 20.9 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Housing: Amapá leads with a 18% gap.
Rent index 5.3 vs 6.5 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Amapá — Lower housing / rent index (18% gap).
- Families: Amapá — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Amapá; purchasing power favors Rio de Janeiro.
- Remote Workers: Amapá — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Amapá (~8% gap).
- Budget Living: Amapá — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Amapá is the overall cost winner on CPI (~8% lower everyday-cost index than Rio de Janeiro).
- Housing: Amapá leads on rent index (18% gap).
- Food / groceries: Amapá is lower (11% gap).
- Purchasing power: Rio de Janeiro scores higher (18% gap).
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$47 cheaper in Amapá.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 21.8/20, rent 6.5/5.3, purchasing power 25.4/20.9. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-25
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.