Rio de Janeiro is Brazil's most iconic state, home to the legendary city of Rio with its stunning beaches, dramatic mountains, and vibrant culture. The state blends natural wonders like Tijuca National Forest and Guanabara Bay with UNESCO-recognized landscapes and world-famous landmarks like Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain.
Local currency: Brazilian Real (BRL).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Rio de Janeiro.
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $18-30 (dorm bed)
- Budget
- $40-70 (private room or budget hotel)
- Midrange
- $80-180 (3-4 star hotel)
- Luxury
- $250-600+ (5-star beachfront hotel)
Food
- Street
- $3-7 (pastéis, coxinha, tapioca, corn)
- Local
- $8-14 (padaria breakfast, neighborhood restaurant prato feito)
- Midrange
- $20-40 (Zona Sul restaurants with drinks)
- Fine
- $60-120+ (tasting menu or premium churrascaria)
Transport
- Bus
- $0.85 (city bus)
- Metro
- $1.15 per ride
- Taxi
- $3-15 (short trip to long Zona Sul journey)
- Uber
- $3-12 (typical city trip)
- Airport
- $25-45 (Galeão to Zona Sul by taxi/Uber)
Activities
- Museum
- $3-15
- Sites
- $15-30 (Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf cable car)
- Tour
- $25-60 (guided city tours, favela tours)
- Excursion
- $40-80 (day trip to Petrópolis, Búzios, or Ilha Grande ferry)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Rio de Janeiro costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$390 for 7 days
Midrange traveller
$840 for 7 days
Luxury traveller
$2,800+ for 7 days
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Visit Christ the Redeemer via the hike from Parque Lage ($8-10 entrance fee) instead of cog train ($25+)
Hike to Morro da Urca for free instead of paying for the first cable car leg at Sugarloaf
Eat at comida a quilo (pay-by-weight buffet) restaurants for excellent varied lunch under $10
Use metro instead of taxis for Zona Sul connections — much cheaper and air conditioned
Drink at boteco sidewalk tables instead of beach clubs or rooftop bars
Visit museums on free days — many state museums are free on certain days of the week
Buy açaí bowls from street vendors rather than restaurants — half the price, same quality
Book accommodation in Botafogo or Catete instead of Copacabana — 30-50% cheaper with good metro access
Eat the prato executivo (fixed business lunch) at Zona Sul restaurants — full meal for $10-15
Take the Galeão bus to city center ($4) instead of taxi ($35-45) on arrival
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Copacabana Beach
World-famous 4km beach — always free and open
Ipanema Beach
People-watching at Brazil's trendiest beach costs nothing
Arpoador Rocks sunset
Sunset viewpoint between Ipanema and Copacabana — free and spectacular
Parque Lage
Elegant mansion park at foot of Corcovado — free entry with monkey sightings
Jardim Botânico grounds (partial)
Public areas around the entrance are free to walk
Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas
Free 8km walking and cycling path around the scenic lagoon
Selarón Staircase
The famous 2,000-tile mosaic staircase is always accessible and free
Centro historic walking
Explore Lapa Arches, Real Gabinete library (free entry), and Praça XV free
Tijuca National Forest trails
Most trails including Vista Chinesa and Cascatinha are free to walk
Hiking Morro da Urca
Hike the trail to the first cable car stop for free instead of taking the gondola
Parque do Flamengo
Enormous waterfront park with beach, sports facilities, and bay views
Barra da Tijuca beach
17km beach strip with cleaner water than Copacabana — always free