Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Florence?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Florence or Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Florence or Rio de Janeiro, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Where Should I go: Florence or Rio de Janeiro?
Florence
Florence is the capital of Tuscany and one of the most well known cities in Italy for its art and cultural scenes. The city is rooted in history and you can see this in the architecture, statues, gardens, and art that are everywhere around town. This city truly is a living museum. You should allow yourself at least a couple of days to explore Florence and if you can afford more, it is well worth the time. In particular, if art history is your passion then you will need a week or more to satisfy your interest as the museums and architecturally impressive buildings throughout the city are endless.
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 Italy, The Best Budget Tours to Italy, The Best Contiki Tours to Brazil, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayFlorence €154Rio de Janeiro €99
The average daily cost (per person) in Florence is €154, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is €99. 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 Florence and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personFlorence €87Rio de Janeiro €62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomFlorence €174Rio de Janeiro €124
Compare Hotels in Florence and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Florence 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: Florence Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Florence €22Rio de Janeiro €7.48
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Florence
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Florence:
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Taxi Ride Within City€8.00
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Taxi from Airport€25
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In City Parking (Full Day)€30
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Bus Pass (Full Day)€5.00
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Bus From Airport€5.00
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Florence
Also for Florence, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private One-way Airport Transfer (Florence Airport To/From Florence Hotels): $65
- Arrival Private Transfer Florence Station SMN to Florence City by Sedan or Van: $60
- Bologna Airport Private Transfer from your Hotel in Florence: $218
- Chianti Wine Tastings and Visit to 3 Cellars with Lunch&Transfer: $234
- Departure Private Transfer Florence City to Florence Station SMN by Sedan or Van: $60
- Florence Airport (FLR) to Florence hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $40
- Florence Airport (FLR) to Florence hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $81
- Florence Airport (FLR) to Montecatini Terme - RoundTrip Transfer: $183
- Florence Airport (FLR) to Siena or Sovicille - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $209
- Florence Airport Private Departure Transfer: $48
- Florence Airport Transfers : Florence City to Airport FLR in Business Car: $176
- Florence Airport to Chianciano Arrival Private Transfer: $146
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€2.75
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 Florence or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Florence 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 dayFlorence €36Rio de Janeiro €19
Typical Food Prices in Florence
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Florence:
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Panini Sandwich€6.50
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Casual Lunch (for Two)€17
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Florence
For Florence, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Walking Food Tour at Sunset with Tastings: $23
- Florence Street Food Tour: Market & City Center: $25
- Hard Rock Cafe Florence with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $27
- Virtual Live Cooking Class What Do You Have in Your Pantry: $35
- Virtual Cooking Class: Bruschetta & Tiramisù: $35
- Virtual Italian Meatballs Cooking Class, Live from Tuscany: $37
- Street Food Tour with Local Expert Guide: $40
- Street Food Tour and Sightseeing with Local Expert Guide in 2.5 hours : $41
- Florence Food Tour: Home-Made Pasta, Truffle, Cantucci, Olive Oil, Gelato: $41
- Florence Street Food Tour and sightseeing with Central Market: $46
- Food Tour in Santo Spirito: $47
- Pasta and Tiramisu Cooking Class with Wine: $61
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€0.92
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.Florence €30Rio de Janeiro €20
Typical Entertainment Prices in Florence
For Florence, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Admission to Uffizi€11
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Phone Booking Fee for Uffizi€4.00
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Firenze Card (for Two)€100
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Audioguides at Uffizi (for Two)€20
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Giotto's Tower Entrance Fee€6.00
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Boboli Gardens Entrance Fee€7.00
Tours and Activities in Florence
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Florence.
- The Best tour in Renaissance and Medici Tales: $0.02
- The Best tour in Renaissance & Medici Tales - guided by a STORYTELLER: $0.02
- Renaissance and Medici Tales Guided Walking Tour: $2.66
- Dark Mysteries and Legends Guided Walking Tour: $2.66
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.20
- Florence Walking Tour: $3.25
- Private Tour to the Laboratory of Artistic Ceramics in Tuscany: $3.26
- Sunset Walking Tour: $3.26
- Smartphone self guided Tour: $4.25
- Florence Self-Guided Audio Tour: $4.50
- The Towers of Florence Self-Guided Tour: $4.58
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Florence: $5.43
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 dayFlorence €18Rio de Janeiro €11
Typical Alcohol Prices in Florence
Here are a few samples of the prices for alcohol and nightlife in Florence from other travelers:
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Glass of Chianti€4.20
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Bottle of Wine€7.50
Sample the Local Flavors in Florence
Also in Florence, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
- Wine Tasting by CarusVini in San Casciano in val di Pesa: $16
- Winery tour and wine tasting of organic Chianti wines and extra virgin oil: $22
- Wine Tasting Activity at Chianti Rufina: $23
- 3 Types Tuscany Wine Tasting with Local Appetizers: $29
- From Florence to Chianti Rufina: Wine Tasting Experience: $32
- Classic Wine Tasting in Montalcino: $33
- Discover Artimino wine tasting, a few steps from Florence: $33
- Italy Private Wine Tasting Experience : $33
- Three Types of Tuscany Wine Tasting with Local Appetizers: $37
- Wine Tasting and Paring Class Guided Tour in Florence: $42
- Wine Tasting and Pairing Class Guided Tour in Florence: $42
- Chianti Wine Tour: Tuscan Reds : $42
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 Florence and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Florence is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Florence 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 Florence would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Florence 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 Florence Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Florence or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 20 times larger than the population of Florence. When comparing the sizes of Florence 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 Florence 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 Florence has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Florence or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to Florence as well as Rio de Janeiro. The family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Florence this time of year.
In the summer, Florence is around the same temperature as Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the summer temperatures in Florence in July average around 25°C (77°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.
It's quite rainy in Rio de Janeiro. Florence usually gets less rain in July than Rio de Janeiroin January. Florence gets 31 mm (1.2 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryFlorence 25°C (77°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Florence or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Florence are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many travelers come to Florence for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area.
In October, Florence is generally much colder than Rio de Janeiroin April. Daily temperatures in Florence average around 16°C (61°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Rio de Janeiro. In October, Florence usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin April. Florence gets 96 mm (3.8 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 AprilFlorence 16°C (61°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Florence or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Florence during the winter are popular places to visit. Many visitors come to Florence in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Florence is much colder than Rio de Janeiro in the winter. The daily temperature in Florence averages around 7°C (45°F) in January, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in July.
Florence usually gets more rain in January than Rio de Janeiroin July. Florence gets 63 mm (2.5 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyFlorence 7°C (45°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Florence or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Florence and Rio de Janeiro. Most visitors come to Florence for the natural beauty during these months.
In the spring, Florence is much colder than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the spring temperatures in Florence in April average around 14°C (57°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.
In April, Florence usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin October. Florence gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberFlorence 14°C (57°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Florence
| Florence | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 7°C (45°F) | 63 mm (2.5 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 8°C (46°F) | 49 mm (1.9 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 10°C (50°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 14°C (57°F) | 78 mm (3.1 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 18°C (64°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 50 mm (2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 25°C (77°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 24°C (75°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 21°C (70°F) | 76 mm (3 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 16°C (61°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 11°C (52°F) | 102 mm (4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 8°C (46°F) | 72 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.