Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Cologne?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Cologne or Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Cologne or Rio de Janeiro? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Cologne or Rio de Janeiro?
Cologne
Spanning the Rhine River in western Germany, the city of Cologne dates back 2,000 years, once existing as the largest city of the Holy Roman Empire in medieval times. Today, it is the region's cultural hub - a center of museums, galleries, and towering Gothic cathedrals.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the most popular travel destination in Brazil. It is the second largest city in Brazil and the sixth largest in the Americas. A portion of the city has been designated a World Heritage Site. It's also famous for Carnival, it's gorgeous beaches, and world-famous landmarks. Rio's appeal as a travel destination is apparent year round due to the great weather and plenty of fun activities. The city has a wonderful natural harbor that is surrounded by Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Peak, and the hills of Tijuca, creating an absolutely breathtaking and awe-inspiring setting.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Luxury Tours to Germany, The Best Budget Tours to Germany, The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayCologne €161Rio de Janeiro €98
The average daily cost (per person) in Cologne is €161, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is €98. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Cologne and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personCologne €91Rio de Janeiro €62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomCologne €182Rio de Janeiro €124
Compare Hotels in Cologne and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Cologne or Rio de Janeiro? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Cologne Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Cologne €19Rio de Janeiro €7.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Cologne
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Cologne:
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $55
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Bonn hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $110
- Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) to Cologne hotels - Round-trip Private Transfer : $98
- Cologne hotels to Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN) - Departure Private Transfer: $49
- Superior Private Transfer from Cologne City to Dortmund City: $64
- Transfer from Cologne Airport CGN to Cologne City by Luxury Car: $83
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Rio de Janeiro:
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Taxi Ride€2.73
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- 2025 Sambadrome Carnival Parade: Transfer Included Sector 5: $471
- 2025: Rio Carnival Parade at Sapucaí with Transfer Sector 7: $471
- A transfer with safety and comfort in Rio: $45
- Airport Private Transfer - Premium Service: $65
- Airport Transfer: Rio de Janeiro to Airport GIG by Luxury Van: $125
- All Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande: $275
- All-You-Can-Eat Brazilian Churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $80
- Angra dos Reis Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $53
- AquaRio Small Group Guided Tour with entrance and transfer: $60
- Arraial do Cabo Private Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $123
- Arraial do Cabo Shared Transfer From Rio de Janeiro: $54
- Arrival Private Transfer GIG or SDU Airport to Rio City by Minivan: $91
Is it cheaper to fly into Cologne or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Cologne change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayCologne €50Rio de Janeiro €19
Typical Food Prices in Cologne
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Cologne:
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Dinner€14
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Donner Kebab€4.00
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Cologne
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Cologne.
- Hard Rock Café with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Hard Rock Cafe Cologne With Set Lunch or Dinner: $29
- Köln Südstadt kulinarisch – Die Food Tour: $48
- 3-Hour Südstadt Food Tour: $484
Typical Food Prices in Rio de Janeiro
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Rio de Janeiro:
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Popcorn€0.55
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Corn on the Cob€0.73
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Hamburger€0.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Rio de Janeiro
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Rio de Janeiro.
- Waterfront Dinner & Live Music Experience: $46
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $73
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $80
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Brazilian Meats and Snacks + South American Wines Guided Dinner: $89
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $106
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $113
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
- Brazilian Cooking Class: $129
- Samba Show Admission & Transfer with Dinner Option: $130
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Cologne €20Rio de Janeiro €20
Tours and Activities in Cologne
Here are a few actual costs in Cologne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Cologne Walking Tour: The essential and unmissable one: $3.22
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Original funky-fun Free Tour of Cologne: $3.23
- Germany eSIM Tourist Roaming Data Plan: $4.31
- Smartphone Scavenger Hunt Sightseeing Tour: $5.92
- City Exploration Game and Tour on your Phone: $6.45
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $6.55
- Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt & Tour: $7.00
- Horrors of World War II Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.52
- Aachen Scavenger Hunt and Self Guided Walking Tour on your Phone: $7.63
- Cologne Self Guided Walking Tour Discovering the Horrors of WWII: $7.63
- Walking Tour with Audio Guide on App: $8.07
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Santa Teresa: the staircase: $6.99
- Rio de Janeiro (Ipanema & Copacabana) Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $7.73
- Salvador Sights Self Guided Tour (Pelourinho): $7.78
- Rio de Janeiro (Urca) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $7.89
- Rio de Janeiro Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- A Self-Guided Black History Audio Tour of Rio de Janeiro’s Little Africa: $9.99
- Self-Guided Audio Tour-Story of Bossanova: Rhythm and soul of Rio: $10
- Self-Guided Audio Tour - Imperial Rio: $10
- Hiking Experience to Pedra do Telégrafo: $10
- Favela tour in copacabana with local guide!: $10
- Ticket to the match at maracanã of Flamengo: $10
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayCologne €23Rio de Janeiro €11
Sample the Local Flavors in Cologne
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Cologne:
- Public brewery tour in German in Cologne: $18
- Old Town Walking Tour with Brewery and Kölsch Beer: $18
- Guided tour of the old town with a visit to the brewery in Cologne: $19
- Old Town Walking Tour inkl Brewery Visit: $24
- Entertaining Brewery Tour: Feel Good Package including local beer: $27
- South Cologne Walking Tour with brewery visit: $27
- Pub Crawl Cologne Including Admission Fee for Bars and Shots: $27
- Brewery Tour with 3 Kölsch Beer Tastings: $30
- Brewery Tour with Beer Tasting and Halven Hahn: $31
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $32
- The Legendary Kölsch Brewery Tour: $33
- Cologne-Nippes: Gourmet wine tasting with cheese platter: $64
Sample the Local Flavors in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Rio de Janeiro:
- Rio: Pub Crawl in Lapa with Cachaça Tasting and Live Samba: $33
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $34
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Petropolis City Tour with Imperial Museum and Optional Lunch & Bohemia Brewery: $40
- Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery: $60
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $65
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Brazilian Wine Tasting Evening: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $132
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Cologne and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Cologne is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Cologne is in Europe and Rio de Janeiro is in South America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Rio de Janeiro would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Rio de Janeiro and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Cologne would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Cologne than you might in Rio de Janeiro.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Cologne Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Cologne or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Cologne. When comparing the sizes of Cologne and Rio de Janeiro, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Cologne or Rio de Janeiro?
Even though both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, they experience these seasons at different times of the year. Rio de Janeiro is in the southern hemisphere and summer is in January and winter is in July, but Cologne has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Cologne or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Cologne are popular destinations to visit in the summer with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Cologne in the summer for the city activities and the family-friendly experiences.
Cologne is cooler than Rio de Janeiro in the summer. The daily temperature in Cologne averages around 19°C (66°F) in July, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Rio de Janeiro. In July, Cologne usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin January. Cologne gets 80 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryCologne 19°C (66°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Cologne during the autumn are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Cologne for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area during these months.
In the autumn, Cologne is much colder than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Cologne in October average around 12°C (54°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 25°C (77°F)in April.
Rio de Janeiro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Cologne usually gets less rain in October than Rio de Janeiroin April. Cologne gets 54 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilCologne 12°C (54°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
The winter attracts plenty of travelers to both Cologne and Rio de Janeiro. The winter months attract visitors to Cologne because of the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
The weather in Cologne can be very cold. In January, Cologne is generally much colder than Rio de Janeiroin July. Daily temperatures in Cologne average around 3°C (37°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
In January, Cologne usually receives more rain than Rio de Janeiroin July. Cologne gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyCologne 3°C (37°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Cologne or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
The spring brings many poeple to Cologne as well as Rio de Janeiro. The activities around the city and the natural beauty are the main draw to Cologne this time of year.
Cologne is much colder than Rio de Janeiro in the spring. The daily temperature in Cologne averages around 10°C (50°F) in April, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.
Cologne usually gets less rain in April than Rio de Janeiroin October. Cologne gets 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberCologne 10°C (50°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Cologne
| Cologne | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 3°C (37°F) | 61 mm (2.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 4°C (39°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (44°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 10°C (50°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 14°C (58°F) | 68 mm (2.7 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 17°C (63°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 19°C (66°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 19°C (66°F) | 73 mm (2.9 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 16°C (61°F) | 62 mm (2.5 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (54°F) | 54 mm (2.1 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 65 mm (2.6 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 4°C (39°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.