How Cheap Is Brazil?

I had heard Brazil is cheap, but just how cheap is it?

I visited Rio de Janeiro and Foz do Iguaçu in January 2023, which is prime high season. As if January wasn’t already an extremely busy time to visit, I was there in early January, so also had to deal with the influx of students being on break, and the leftover crowds from New Year’s Eve. I wasn’t sure if this meant prices would be inflated (for hotels, that’s exactly what it meant), but either way, I knew Brazil was an affordable destination. So…just how cheap is Brazil?

Transportation

By far, the biggest expense in Brazil is going to be your ticket to get there. Brazil is HUGE, and it’s much further than you might think. For context, it’s about a 12-hour direct flight from NYC. I broke up my trip by having a long stopover in Panama, which was a five-hour flight from Newark, followed by a 7.5 hour flight to Rio. I used a $750 Copa Airline credit I had lingering from a past cancelled trip, and to get home, I used 36k United MileagePlus points to get home (but my flight home had several layovers, and better tickets were 72k points instead, or about $1200…yes, for a one-way).

Aside from the massive costs the ticket will run you, once you’re in Brazil, transportation is a literal steal. Though Uber sucks for many reasons, there’s no arguing it’s the cheapest way to get around in both Rio de Janeiro and Foz do Iguaçu. An average Uber ride ran me 2-3 USD, verses the one yellow cab I took (from Christ the Redeemer to Sugarloaf Mountain) was R$50, or 9 USD. It is well worth having your transportation arranged ahead of time to and from airports. Book on GetYourGuide for both Foz do Iguaçu and Rio for the best deals.

Average Uber = $2
Private Taxi to Cross from Igauzu Falls, Brazil, to the Igauzu Airport in Argentina (2-hour ride with a border crossing)= $32

In total, for 7 days, I spent around $50-$55 on taxis in Brazil, including a border crossing into Argentina.

Meals

Meals were hit or miss regarding price. Of course, in touristic parts of town, they were naturally more. But just how much is “more” in a place that’s affordable as Brazil?

Here’s what I paid for every meal:

Filet, freijoda, rice, cassava fries, and farofa: $11
One Pao de quiejo $0.70
Shrimp with tapioca crackers and a curry bean dip: $7 (best thing I ate, and easily big enough for two people)
One beach caipirinha: $3
Fried fish with rice and fries: $3
One Michelin-Star 3-course meal with one drink: $37
One açaí bowl: $1.10
One cocktail during happy hour: $5
One buffet meal in Copacabana: $5
One buffet meal at Iguazu Falls with a passion fruit caipirinha: $31 (this was directly on site and obviously a tourist ripoff)

I also went to the grocery store in Iguazu since my breakfast was not included, and I knew I’d have a long day the next day. At the grocery store, I bought myself dinner for that night, breakfast for the next morning, instant coffee, water, and a sandwich to take with me to Iguazu Falls. Here’s a full list:

1 Cheeseburger (yes, I’m trash and bought a grocery store cheeseburger)
1 Turkey Sandwich
2 Bananas
1 Passion Fruit
1 Small bag of Instant Coffee
1 Brigadeiro
3 Liters of Water

For all of this, it was $7.

Total on Food for 7 Days in Rio = $110.80

Hotels

Hotels and Airbnbs come in a wide range of prices in Brazil. I stayed at “2-star hotel” in Centro called Hotel Carioca, and with a check-in date of January 1st, 2023, I definitely got sticker-shocked because of the timing being in such close proximity to New Year’s Eve. However, “sticker-shock” in Rio is not anywhere near “sticker-shock” of cities like New York or Paris. I paid $29/night for 3 nights at Hotel Carioca, and while it was a bare-bones room, it certainly did the job. There was A/C, included breakfast, and it was in a decent part of town. When it’s NOT January/high season, this hotel is only about $18-20/night.

My plans changed ever so slightly, causing me to have an extra night in Rio, and Hotel Carioca was sold out. I decided to move to the beach and spend a proper night on Copacabana. While this area was more expensive, I found a 4-star hotel called Hotel Bandeirantes for $54/night. Let me tell you, it might have been double the price, but I truly wish I had stayed there longer. The area is MUCH better and more vibrant, and it was a 5-minute walk from the beach. There was breakfast included in this hotel as well, which was a beautiful spread of fresh fruit, cheese, meats, and more. Also, there was a rooftop pool! I would easily stay at Hotel Bandeirantes again and again if I ever come back to Rio.

In Iguazu, I stayed at a locally-owned guesthouse, Iguassu Central Flat, that I found on Booking.com for $32/night. Overall, I really liked it there, and the owner Nilton is a great asset since it’s like having advice and guidance from a local. However, my biggest complaint with this place was breakfast was not included. On the plus side, it gave me an excuse to go grocery shopping in Brazil to ensure I had coffee, as well as something to eat, before my long day at Iguazu Falls.

In total:

4 Nights at Hotel Carioca in high season: $116
1 Night at Hotel Bandeirantes in High Season: $54
1 Night at Iguassu Central Flat: $32

So for 6 nights in Brazil, I paid $202.

Activities

I’ll keep this one simple and just lay out the list for you.

Entry fee to Christ the Redeemer: $14
Helicopter over Christ the Redeemer: $132, but you can also get a helicopter only over the beaches for $75
Entry fee to Sugarloaf Mountain: $11.50
Entry fee to Igauzu Falls: $16
Locker Storage at Igauzu: $3.80
Entry fee to “Three Countries Meeting” in Iguazu: $8

Activities total = $185.30

This obviously would have been much cheaper had I not splurged on the helicopter, but YOLO.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, if you want to go somewhere, really play your cards right to ensure you get the best bang for your buck, Brazil should be close to the top of that list. While I did pay more for certain things out of convenience (did I need to take a cab to every single place? No, but when they’re only $2-3, why the F not?), and there are hostels available with rooms for under $10/night, Brazil can absolutely done while ballin’ on a budget.