Brazil · Visit or make it home

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is a city in Brazil. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Rio de Janeiro — Cidade Maravilhosa

Get to know Rio de Janeiro

A sense of the place

Rio de Janeiro, also known simply as Rio, is the capital and largest city of the state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the second-largest city in Brazil after São Paulo, and the largest by international tourists. It has a population of 6 million in the city proper, and 13 million people in its metropolitan area as of 2025. It is also the sixth-most-populous city in the Americas. Founded in 1565, the city was initially the seat of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, a domain of the Portuguese Empire. In 1763, it became the capital of the State of Brazil. In 1808, when the Portuguese Royal Court moved to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro became the seat of the court of Queen Maria I of Portugal. Under the leadership of her son, Prince Regent John of Braganza, Maria raised Brazil to the dignity of a kingdom within the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil, and Algarves. Rio remained as the capital of the pluricontinental monarchy until 1822, when the Brazilian War of Independence began.

Weather through the year

When to visit Rio de Janeiro

Temperature

February has the warmest monthly average (25.8°C); July is coolest (20.9°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

December averages about 232 mm of rain, compared with 42 mm in August. For an outdoor-focused trip, compare the drier months before choosing dates.

Planning time outdoors

June, July, August, September combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in January, February, March. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C25.725.825.424.322.321.520.921.322.022.923.424.7
Rain, mm2081521731017149454269108220232

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Rio de Janeiro

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Rio de Janeiro

What is the average rent in Rio de Janeiro?

A verified average rent for Rio de Janeiro is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Rio de Janeiro

What is the average salary in Rio de Janeiro?

607.3 USD/month is the gross employee-pay reference dated 2025. It describes Brazil, not average salary in Rio de Janeiro. Gross pay is before deductions; household earnings depend on the household model. Use a current offer and your own tax circumstances for take-home budgeting.

Source: ILO — Average gross monthly earnings of employees · Reference date: 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (ILO datasets published from 3 May 2023)

How should I compare Rio de Janeiro with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Rio de Janeiro, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

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A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Rio de Janeiro in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Rio de Janeiro at a glance

Brazil: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Rio de Janeiro. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 10 national indicators

Other places to compare in Brazil

What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy); Annual sunshine hours; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre. Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Rio de Janeiro with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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