Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Dubai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Dubai or Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Dubai and Rio de Janeiro can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Dubai or Rio de Janeiro?
Dubai
Ever wonder what it would be like to see the lifestyles of the rich and famous up close. There's no more upscale destination than Dubai. It's by far and away the spot for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining and the most luxurious of luxury. As the most modern and progressive of the seven emirates in the United Arab Emirates, this area has experienced an unbelievable economic boom and tourism spike. It's a desert city with an amazing infrastructure.
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 3-Day Tours from Dubai, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in United Arab Emirates, The Best Contiki Tours to Brazil, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayDubai $248Rio de Janeiro $105
The average daily cost (per person) in Dubai is $248, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $105. 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 Dubai and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personDubai $170Rio de Janeiro $66
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomDubai $340Rio de Janeiro $132
Compare Hotels in Dubai and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Dubai 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: Dubai Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Dubai $13Rio de Janeiro $7.97
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Dubai:
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Taxi Ride$12
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Airport Taxi$12
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Sea Taxi$0.54
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dubai
Also for Dubai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Banana Boat Ride Dubai With Transfer: $190
- Dubai Maktoum DWC to Al Ain Private Limo-Van Transfer: $67
- Jet Ski Adventure in Dubai with Optional Transfers: $109
- Wild Wadi Water Park with Round-Trip Transfers: $170
- 1 Day 1 Park (Motiongate or Legoland) with Private Transfer: $185
- 1-Hour Quad Biking Tour with Transfer from Dubai: $61
- 2 Hour View at The Palm Ticket and One Way Monorail with Transfer: $65
- 4 Seater Jet Car Adventure in Dubai with Optional Transfer: $280
- 60 Minute Speed Boat Ride in Dubai with Private Transfer: $229
- A Japanese Business Lunch Experience in Dubai with Transfer: $119
- A visit To Quranic Park & Jumeirah Mosque With Transfer: $120
- AYA Universe Dubai Ticket with Transfer option: $33
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$2.93
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Private transfer to Ilha Grande.: $930
- From Private Transfer to São Paulo: $650
- Rio Carnival 2025: Sambadrome Parade + Transfer (Sector 7): $467
- Rio's 2025 Carnival Parade at Sapucaí + Transfer Sector 5: $467
- Rio: Sambadrome Carnival Parade + transfer 2025 Sector 7: $467
- 2025 Sambadrome Carnival Parade: Transfer Included Sector 5: $467
- Rio Carnival 2025: Sambadrome Parade + Transfer Sector 5: $467
- 2025: Rio Carnival Parade at Sapucaí with Transfer Sector 7: $467
- All Private Transfer from Rio de Janeiro to Ilha Grande: $275
- Arrival Transfer: Rio GIG or SDU Airport to Angra dos Reis by Van: $246
- Arrival Private Transfer: GIG or SDU Airport to Arraial do Cabo by Sedan Car: $241
- From Private Transfer to Vila do Abraão: $240
Is it cheaper to fly into Dubai or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Dubai 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 dayDubai $56Rio de Janeiro $20
Typical Food Prices in Dubai
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Dubai:
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French bread$0.95
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Sumo salad in Dubai Mall + Juice$10
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Lemon Mint Tea$4.36
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Coffee & Cake$6.54
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Smoothie$5.45
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Shawarma$1.91
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Dubai Creek with Buffet Dinner: $14
- Dubai:Desert Safari BBQ dinner, Dune bashing,Camel&Sandboarding: $14
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet in Dubai: $14
- Dubai Dhow Cruise Dinner in Deira Creek: $15
- Dhow Cruise with Dinner and Live Entertainment at Dubai Creek: $15
- Scenic Dhow Cruise with Buffet Dinner and Live Shows: $16
- Cruising With Dinner And Live Shows At Dubai Creek: $18
- Dhow Dinner Cruise with International Buffet: $18
- Desert Safari with Dinner and Live Show: $18
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner: $19
- Romantic Dhow Cruise Dinner Deira Creek: $19
- Dhow Cruise Dinner Creek with pickup & drop off: $19
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$0.59
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Corn on the Cob$0.78
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Hamburger$0.98
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: $45
- Barra da Tijuca Food Tour with Drinks: $71
- THE BEST FOOD TOUR: $79
- Feijoada Food Tour in Rio de Janeiro with Hotel pick-up and drop-off: $80
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local: $81
- 9-Recipe Boozy Brazilian Cooking Class: $85
- Dinner & Rio Scenarium Nightclub Admission with Transfer: $85
- Copacabana Local Street Bars Food Tour: $88
- Food Tour Rio de Janeiro - The Best Typical Brazilian Dishes: $92
- Rio Bar Food Tour with a Local - All Included: $99
- Rio Scenarium Entrance, Dinner, and Open Bar: $103
- Rio Scenarium: Fast Track Entrance, Dinner & Open Bar: $115
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Dubai $19Rio de Janeiro $22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Dubai
For Dubai, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Visit to the Dubai Museum$0.82
Tours and Activities in Dubai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Dubai.
- Tourist eSIM/SIM Card with Data and Minutes: $2.46
- Dubai Guided Old Town Tour, Abra Boat, Gold & Spice Souk: $4.63
- Global Village Entry Ticket: $6.13
- 4G Data Roaming eSIM Card for Tourists: $7.19
- Small-Group Premium Old Town, Souk, & Abra Boat Tour: $7.90
- Old Dubai, Walking Tour, Souk Shopping, and Abra Ride: $8.85
- Pearl Merchants and Palm Trees: A Self-Guided Tour of Sharjah: $8.99
- Dubai Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Guided Old Town Tour with Souks, Tastings & Boat Tour: $9.67
- Walking Tour, Old Town, Abra, Souks & Street Food: $9.80
- Global Village Tickets : $10
- Dubai Fountain Show Boat Lake Ride or Bridge Walk Tickets options: $11
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Favelas do Vidigal or Rocinha's experience: $49
- Ilha Grande Tour Full day - Rio de Janeiro by Rio Eco Trip: $105
- 03 - Guided Tour to the Grande Rio Academics Barracão: $120
- 1 day tour Rio de Janeiro to Christ and Cable car and much more: $98
- 10-hour Private Tour Rio In One Day: Christ, Sugarloaf, Selarón, Downtown: $260
- 14 - Guided Tour to Quadra Do Salgueiro with Samba Show: $75
- 15 - Guided Tour to Santa Marta Favela: $150
- 16 - Guided Tour to Favela da Rocinha: $75
- 19 - Guided Tour to the Museum of Tomorrow and Olympic Boulevard: $90
- 2 Days in Rio: Tijuca Forest & Two Brothers Hiking Tours: $273
- 2 Hours Paradisiac Sailboat Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $275
- 2 hours Hang Gliding Paragliding Full Package experience in Rio : $173
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayDubai $23Rio de Janeiro $12
Typical Alcohol Prices in Dubai
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Dubai:
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A Couple Drinks$25
Sample the Local Flavors in Dubai
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Dubai:
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tours: $66
- Pub Crawl Nightlife Tour: $67
- Pub Crawl Private, Birthdays & Corporate Events: $110
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: $27
- Pub Crawl in Lapa: $29
- Rio de Janeiro Pub Crawl (Lapa district): $35
- Petropolis Bohemia: Historic tour and visit to the Bohemian Brewery: $55
- Walking tour + Pub crawl + Samba in Lapa: $64
- Petropolis City Tour + Bohemia Brewery + Lunch: $77
- Petrópolis City and Brewery Bohemia Tour - Best of Rio's Mountains: $110
- Rio: Sitio Burle Marx and Cachaça Distillery Private Tour: $129
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dubai and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Dubai is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Dubai is in Middle East 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 Dubai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dubai 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 Dubai Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Dubai or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 5 times larger than the population of Dubai. When comparing the sizes of Dubai 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 Dubai or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Dubai experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Dubai or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Dubai as well as Rio de Janeiro. Dubai attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
It's very hot in Dubai this time of the year. Dubai is a little warmer than Rio de Janeiro in the summer. The daily temperature in Dubai averages around 35°C (95°F) in July, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.
It's quite rainy in Rio de Janeiro. Dubai usually gets less rain in July than Rio de Janeiroin January. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain this time of the year. Also, June to August in Dubai is the dry season.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryDubai 35°C (95°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Dubai are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Dubai throughout the year.
In the autumn, Dubai is a little warmer than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Dubai in October average around 29°C (84°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 25°C (77°F)in April.
It rains a lot this time of the year in Rio de Janeiro. In October, Dubai usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin April. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilDubai 29°C (84°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Dubai during the winter are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Dubai because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
In January, Dubai is generally around the same temperature as Rio de Janeiroin July. Daily temperatures in Dubai average around 19°C (66°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
Dubai usually gets less rain in January than Rio de Janeiroin July. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year. January to March is the rainy season in Dubai.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyDubai 19°C (66°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Dubai or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Dubai and Rio de Janeiro. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Dubai year-round.
Dubai is a little warmer than Rio de Janeiro in the spring. The daily temperature in Dubai averages around 26°C (79°F) in April, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.
In April, Dubai usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin October. Dubai gets 10 mm (0.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain each month for the spring. June to August in Dubai is the dry season.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberDubai 26°C (79°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Dubai
| Dubai | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 19°C (66°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 20°C (68°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 23°C (73°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 31°C (88°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 33°C (91°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 35°C (95°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 36°C (97°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 33°C (91°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 29°C (84°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 25°C (77°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 21°C (70°F) | 20 mm (0.8 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.