Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or London?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit London 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 London and Rio de Janeiro can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: London or Rio de Janeiro?
London
The capital of the United Kingdom is a thriving multicultural metropolis. Steeped in iconic landmarks, world-class museums and royal parks, London is energetic, majestic, ambitious and one of the world's greatest cities. London is a cultural and fashion capital, a great place to go out, an amazing place to eat and one of those cities that is constantly changing with new and exciting things sprouting up almost every day. History and tradition greet you at every turn in the UK's capital. London is also a city with an edgy underbelly, delighting in neon pink dive bars, cheeky graffiti and mind-blowing street food. When you need a break from the action, pop into a pub or relax in one of the city's many parks. Blow through the city on a double-decker bus, and take a pinch-me-I'm-in-London walk through the West End. As one of the most visited cities in the world, London is busy, vibrant and very tourist friendly. The only problem with London is that it's very expensive; it can eat away at your budget if you aren't careful. Luckily, there are also tons of free or cheap things to do in London that can fill your time.
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 Coach Bus Tours in United Kingdom, The Best Adventure Tours to United Kingdom, The Best Contiki Tours to Brazil, and The Best G Adventures Tours to Brazil.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLondon £190Rio de Janeiro £84
The average daily cost (per person) in London is £190, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is £84. 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 London and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLondon £123Rio de Janeiro £53
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLondon £246Rio de Janeiro £106
Compare Hotels in London and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in London 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: London Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.London £26Rio de Janeiro £6.38
Typical Local Transportation Prices in London
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in London:
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Taxi Ride£15
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Heathrow Express£18
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Luggage Storage£8.00
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London Map£1.29
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Oyster Card£36
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Train to Gatwick Airport (2)£22
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Oyster Card£27
Hired Cars and Shuttles in London
Also for London, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Chauffeur Limo Transfer Services from Heathrow Airport To London: $234
- "Private Transfer: London Heathrow Airport to Dorking.": $80
- "Private transfer from Heathrow Airport to Bournemouth.": $152
- 24 Hours Private Airport Transfer To and From All London Airport: $91
- 8 Seater Transfer: Heathrow Airport to Central London: $222
- 8 Seater Transfer: Heathrow Airport to/from Central London: $210
- Affordable All London Airports Round-trip: Private Transfer to South-West London: $272
- Airport Transfer To Any Destination In UK In Comfort Cars : $125
- Airport Transfer: Gatwick Airport LGW to London by Luxury Car: $264
- Airport Transfer: Heathrow Airport LHR to London by Luxury Car: $168
- Airport Transfer: London to Heathrow Airport LHR by Luxury Car: $168
- Airport Transfers: $82
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£2.35
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 London or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and London 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 dayLondon £34Rio de Janeiro £16
Typical Food Prices in London
Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to London:
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Lunch at Starbucks£13
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Tea£6.00
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Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Mason£39
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Morning Tea£6.35
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Pastry£5.00
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Sushi Dinner for One£18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in London
For London, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hard Rock Cafe with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $34
- Picadilly Circus: Hard Rock Cafe Set Menu Lunch or Dinner: $36
- Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly Circus with Set Menu for Lunch or Dinner: $38
- Traveling Spoon Nepalese Momos Private Online Cooking Class: $40
- Pizza Making Cookery Class: $52
- Borough Bites, The London Food Tour: $66
- Borough Market Flavors of London Food Tour: $66
- No Diet Club - Best food Tour in East London: $67
- African & Caribbean Food Tour in Multi-Cultural Brixton: $73
- Plant Power - Vegan Food Tour: $87
- Ultimate London Food Tour: Borough Market & Southwark: $89
- Central London Food Tour with 10+ tastings: $94
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£0.47
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Corn on the Cob£0.63
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Hamburger£0.78
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.London £33Rio de Janeiro £17
Typical Entertainment Prices in London
For London, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:
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Two Tickets to a Concert£83
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London Symphony Orchestra£34
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London Pass£47
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Comedy Show£8.00
Tours and Activities in London
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for London.
- London's Hidden Gems Self Guided City Tour: $1.07
- London Scavenger Hunt and Best Landmarks Self-Guided Tour: $3.26
- Harry Potter Movie Locations Self Walking Tour: $3.73
- Interactive Murder Mystery Jack The Ripper Tour: $4.79
- Jack the Ripper Self Guided Audio Tour in London: $4.90
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in London: $5.43
- Bloomsbury's Contribution to Health Care History: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.48
- Brick Lane: A self-guided audio tour of East London's vibrant jewel: $5.54
- Covent Garden: A Self-Guided Photography Tour : $5.54
- London Lights: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of the Cultural Capital of the World: $5.54
- Camden Town's Quirky Characters: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.54
- Southbank Photography Walk: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.55
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 dayLondon £15Rio de Janeiro £9.68
Sample the Local Flavors in London
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in London:
- 2-Hour Haunted Pub Walking Tour: $20
- Shoreditch Bar Crawl of Five Venues with Drink Deals: $22
- Craft Brewery Tour with Tasting of 4 Beers: $25
- Bombay Sapphire Distillery Tour and Cocktail Ticket: $25
- London Pub Crawl: $27
- Pub Crawl and Nightlife Tour: $28
- 2-Hour Historic Pub Tour: $31
- Camden Pub Crawl & Bar Tour London: $31
- Burlesque Cabaret Show in Covent Garden: $31
- Balfour Winery, Wine Tasting Masterclass: $32
- Small Group Covent Garden Historic Pub Tour in London: $32
- Camden Pub Crawl in London: $32
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 London and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that London is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since London 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 London would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in London 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 London Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, London or Rio de Janeiro?
London has a larger population, and is about 23% larger than the population of Rio de Janeiro. When comparing the sizes of London 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 London 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 London has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit London or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
The summer brings many poeple to London as well as Rio de Janeiro. Many travelers come to London for the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
London is cooler than Rio de Janeiro in the summer. The daily temperature in London averages around 18°C (64°F) in July, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 26°C (79°F)in January.
It's quite rainy in Rio de Janeiro. London usually gets less rain in July than Rio de Janeiroin January. London gets 46 mm (1.8 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 JanuaryLondon 18°C (64°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit London or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
Both Rio de Janeiro and London are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to London in the autumn for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area.
In the autumn, London is much colder than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the autumn temperatures in London in October average around 12°C (53°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, London usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin April. London gets 58 mm (2.3 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 AprilLondon 12°C (53°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit London or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
Both Rio de Janeiro and London during the winter are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to London for the museums, the Christmas ambience, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine during these months.
London can be very cold during winter. In January, London is generally much colder than Rio de Janeiroin July. Daily temperatures in London average around 4°C (40°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 21°C (70°F).
London usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Rio de Janeiroin July. London gets 52 mm (2 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 JulyLondon 4°C (40°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit London or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both London and Rio de Janeiro. The spring months attract visitors to London because of the activities around the city and the natural beauty.
London is much colder than Rio de Janeiro in the spring. The daily temperature in London averages around 9°C (48°F) in April, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 23°C (73°F)in October.
In April, London usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin October. London gets 45 mm (1.8 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 OctoberLondon 9°C (48°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and London
| London | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 4°C (40°F) | 52 mm (2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 5°C (40°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 7°C (44°F) | 47 mm (1.9 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 9°C (48°F) | 45 mm (1.8 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 13°C (55°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 16°C (61°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 18°C (64°F) | 46 mm (1.8 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 18°C (64°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 15°C (59°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 12°C (53°F) | 58 mm (2.3 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 7°C (45°F) | 55 mm (2.2 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 5°C (42°F) | 57 mm (2.2 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.