Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Helsinki?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Helsinki or Rio de Janeiro?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Helsinki and Rio de Janeiro can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Helsinki or Rio de Janeiro?
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital of Finland and dates back to 1550. Helsinki is an international metropolis with a diverse population, but also a small town vibe. The city itself has a population of just over 600,000 but the metropolitan area, including Espoo and Vantaa, has a population of more than 1.3 million. There are many outdoor bars and cafes that take advantage of the warmer summer months. During this time there are long days, and the population floods into the street after a long and cold winter, so visiting during the summer is a fun and lively experience.
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 Budget Tours to Finland, The Best Tours for Seniors to Finland, 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 dayHelsinki €139Rio de Janeiro €98
The average daily cost (per person) in Helsinki is €139, 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 Helsinki and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personHelsinki €73Rio de Janeiro €62
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomHelsinki €146Rio de Janeiro €124
Compare Hotels in Helsinki and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Helsinki 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: Helsinki Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Helsinki €22Rio de Janeiro €7.43
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Helsinki
Also for Helsinki, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Arrival Private Transfer from Helsinki airport HEL to Helsinki by luxury van: $76
- Arrival Transfer: Airport HEL to Helsinki in Business Car: $97
- Departure Private Transfer Helsinki City to Helsinki Airport HEL by business car: $64
- Guided Tallinn Day Tour from Helsinki / Include hotel transfers: $218
- Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Helsinki City hotel Round-Trip Transfer: $83
- Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Helsinki City hotels - Arrival Transfer: $41
- Helsinki Airport (HEL) to Helsinki West Terminal - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $81
- Helsinki Airport (HEL): One-Way Transfer to/from Helsinki: $145
- Helsinki Airport (HEL): Transfer to Helsinki Cruise Terminal: $130
- Helsinki Airport VIP Transfers: Exclusive Comfort&Efficiency: $135
- Helsinki Private Airport & City Transfer: $82
- Helsinki Private Transfer: $158
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:
- Visit to Madureira Park in Rio de Janeiro with Transfer: $66
- Two Brothers Trail- one of the best views of Rio (transfer is included): $56
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Rio de Janeiro APT-HTL (SDU): $25
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in Rio de Janeiro APT-HTL (GIG): $52
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer Rio de Janeiro HTL-APT (SDU): $25
- Transfers Rio (Copacabana / Buzios / Angra / Paraty and Arraial): $154
- Transfer to GIG or SDU International Airport in Rio de Janeiro: $39
- Transfer service from / to Rio - Barra da Tijuca Airports: $26
- Transfer service from / to International Airport (GIG) - Zona Sul: $21
- Transfer service from / to Buzios / Arraial do Cabo / Cabo Frio: $77
- Transfer in Rio: $35
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro City center - Airport (SDU): $19
Is it cheaper to fly into Helsinki or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Helsinki 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 dayHelsinki €34Rio de Janeiro €19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Helsinki
For Helsinki, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- FOOD Tour with Rooftop Bar Visit in Helsinki: $107
- FOOD Tour with Roof Top Bar in Helsinki: $108
- Helsinki Food Tour Including Tastings: $164
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.Helsinki €27Rio de Janeiro €20
Tours and Activities in Helsinki
For Helsinki, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Tip-Based City Highlights Guided Walking Tour: $2.15
- Free Evening Helsinki Tour - A Walk through Centuries: $2.61
- First Discovery Walk and Reading Walking Tour: $3.23
- Tip-based Free Walking Tour Helsinki - RED UMBRELLA TOURS: $5.13
- Escape Game and Tour: $7.00
- Helsinki Highlights Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt and City Tour: $7.00
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Helsinki's Historical Highlights: $7.99
- Temppeliaukio Church Entrance Ticket: $8.61
- From Round-Trip Ferry Ticket to Suomenlinna: $8.70
- Helsinki Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.00
- Suomenlinna: Museum Ticket: $9.69
- Historical Highlights Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
Tours and Activities in Rio de Janeiro
Here are a few actual costs in Rio de Janeiro for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- Ilha Grande Tour Full day - Rio de Janeiro by Rio Eco Trip: $105
- 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: $276
- 2 hours Hang Gliding Paragliding Full Package experience in Rio : $177
- 21 - Guided Tour to the Imperial City of Petrópolis with Lunch: $80
- 25 - Full Day Tour to Angra dos Reis and Ilha Grande: $80
- 27 -Guided Tour to Christ the Redeemer and City in Rio de Janeiro: $75
- 3 Hour Boat Tour in Rio de Janeiro: $68
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayHelsinki €16Rio de Janeiro €11
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 Helsinki and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Helsinki is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Helsinki 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 Helsinki would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Helsinki 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 Helsinki Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Helsinki or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Helsinki. When comparing the sizes of Helsinki 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 Helsinki 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 Helsinki has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Helsinki or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Helsinki during the summer are popular places to visit. The summer months attract visitors to Helsinki because of the family-friendly experiences.
In the summer, Helsinki is much colder than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the summer temperatures in Helsinki in July average around 17°C (62°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 26°C (79°F)in January.
Rio de Janeiro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. Helsinki usually gets less rain in July than Rio de Janeiroin January. Helsinki gets 58 mm (2.3 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 JanuaryHelsinki 17°C (62°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Helsinki and Rio de Janeiro. The shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Helsinki this time of year.
In October, Helsinki is generally much colder than Rio de Janeiroin April. Daily temperatures in Helsinki average around 6°C (42°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 25°C (77°F).
Rio de Janeiro receives a lot of rain in the autumn. In October, Helsinki usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin April. Helsinki gets 71 mm (2.8 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 AprilHelsinki 6°C (42°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Helsinki as well as Rio de Janeiro. Many travelers come to Helsinki for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine.
Be prepared for some very cold days in Helsinki. Helsinki is much colder than Rio de Janeiro in the winter. The daily temperature in Helsinki averages around -6°C (21°F) in January, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F)in July.
Helsinki usually gets less rain in January than Rio de Janeiroin July. Helsinki gets 40 mm (1.6 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 JulyHelsinki -6°C (21°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Helsinki or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Helsinki are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Helsinki in the spring for the natural beauty.
Helsinki can get quite cold in the spring. In the spring, Helsinki is much colder than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the spring temperatures in Helsinki in April average around 3°C (37°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 23°C (73°F)in October.
In April, Helsinki usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin October. Helsinki gets 41 mm (1.6 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 OctoberHelsinki 3°C (37°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Helsinki
| Helsinki | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | -6°C (21°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | -7°C (20°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | -3°C (27°F) | 34 mm (1.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 3°C (37°F) | 41 mm (1.6 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 9°C (49°F) | 31 mm (1.2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 15°C (59°F) | 40 mm (1.6 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 17°C (62°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 16°C (60°F) | 72 mm (2.8 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 11°C (51°F) | 74 mm (2.9 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 6°C (42°F) | 71 mm (2.8 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 1°C (33°F) | 70 mm (2.8 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | -4°C (26°F) | 58 mm (2.3 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.