Which place is cheaper, Seattle or Rio de Janeiro?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Rio de Janeiro or Seattle?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Rio de Janeiro and Seattle 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: Rio de Janeiro or Seattle?
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.
Seattle
Situated on the Puget Sound in the state of Washington, Seattle is the largest city in the United States Pacific Northwest. It's a beautiful city surrounded by the water and mountains and filled with evergreen trees. It's also the home of some famous American institutions including Starbucks Coffee, Amazon, and Microsoft. The population of almost 700,000 continues to grow. As of 2014, the city was considered the fastest growing major city in the United States. The entire metropolitan area has about 3.6 million residents, making it the 15th largest metro area in the US. The natural beauty, growing economy, and educational base give Seattle a youthful vibe that keep the city young and energetic.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Brazil, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Brazil, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Las Vegas, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Anchorage.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayRio de Janeiro $106Seattle $205
The average daily cost (per person) in Rio de Janeiro is $106, while the average daily cost in Seattle is $205. 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 Rio de Janeiro and Seattle in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personRio de Janeiro $67Seattle $120
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomRio de Janeiro $134Seattle $240
Compare Hotels in Rio de Janeiro and Seattle
Looking for a hotel in Rio de Janeiro or Seattle? 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: Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices and Seattle Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Rio de Janeiro $8.04Seattle $30
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$2.96
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Rio de Janeiro
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Rio de Janeiro:
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro City center - Airport (GIG): $13
- Private transfer from Airport GIG to Rio City center-Copacabana: $15
- Rio Galeão Airport (GIG): Shuttle Transfer to/from Hotels: $15
- Rio Santos Dumont (SDU): Shuttle Transfer to/from Hotels: $15
- Private transfer Economico GIG Rio Galeao airport up to 3 pax to Zona Sul: $18
- Shared Transfer From or To Airport: $19
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro City center - Airport (SDU): $19
- Transfer in Private Vehicle from Rio de Janeiro Airport (SDU) - Rio City Center: $19
- Transfer in Private Minivan from Rio de Janeiro City Center -Airport (SDU): $19
- Private One-way Airport Transfer (Galeao Airport To Rio): $20
- One Way Shared Transfer from Airport to hotels in Rio de Janeiro: $20
- Transfer service from / to International Airport (GIG) - Zona Sul: $21
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Seattle
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Seattle:
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Lightrail from Airport (for 2)$5.50
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Roundtrip Ferry to Bainbridge Island (for 2)$15
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Seattle
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Seattle:
- Arrival Private Transfer: Seattle Airport SEA to Seattle in Luxury Van: $115
- Departure Private Transfer: Seattle to Seattle Airport SEA in Luxury Van: $115
- From Seattle Airport - Transfer to Hotel & Homes: $175
- From Seattle Hotels - Hotel Transfer to Airport: $175
- From Snoqualmie Falls and Wineries Tour w/ Transfer: $145
- One-Way Transfer: Cruise Piers to Airport : $28
- One-Way Transfer: SeaTac Hotels to Seattle Cruise Terminals : $33
- Private Arrival Transfer In Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) : $40
- Private One-way Airport Transfer(Seattle Airport To/From Seattle): $58
- Private Transfer Seattle Airport SEA to Seattle center or port by Minibus or SUV: $195
- Private Transfer from Seattle (SEA) Airport to Seattle City: $133
- Private Transfer from Seattle hotels to Smith Cove Terminal : $74
Is it cheaper to fly into Rio de Janeiro or Seattle?
Prices for flights to both Seattle and Rio de Janeiro 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 dayRio de Janeiro $20Seattle $51
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$0.79
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Hamburger$0.99
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
Typical Food Prices in Seattle
Some typical examples of dining costs in Seattle are as follows:
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Expresso & cookie at Pier 70$7.00
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Cashews at Pike Place Market$6.00
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6 Mini Donuts at Pike Place Market$3.25
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Chinese Lunch in International District (for 2)$21
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Breakfast at Lowel's in Pike Place Market (for 2)$32
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Breakfast at French Cafe (for 2)$37
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Seattle
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Seattle.
- Secret Food Tours Seattle: $65
- Seattle Holiday Donut Adventure & Walking Food Tour: $65
- Chef Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market- 2 Hours: $67
- Eat Around the World Seattle Food Tour: $69
- International District Food Tour: $69
- Street Food Tour of South Lake Union: $75
- Secret Food Tours: Seattle Pike Place Market: $85
- Pike Place Market Food Tour: $99
- Small Group Cooking Class: $138
- Private Seattle Cooking Class with a Chef in Her Home: $198
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Rio de Janeiro $22Seattle $16
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
Tours and Activities in Seattle
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Seattle are as follows:
- Space Needle Park Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $8.49
- Unique Scavenger Hunt Experience in Seattle by Crazy Dash: $10
- Downtown Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour: $13
- Seattle Self-Guided Audio Tour: $14
- Seattle Mariners Baseball Game Ticket at T Mobile Park: $15
- Seattle bakery walk tour: $19
- National Nordic Museum Entry Ticket: $20
- Smith Tower Straight Up Observatory Access Ticket: $22
- Terrors and Ghosts Guided Walking Tour: $26
- MoPOP Entry Ticket: $27
- Woodland Park Zoo Day Admission Ticket: $28
- Beneath The Streets Underground History Tour: $29
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayRio de Janeiro $12Seattle $16
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
Sample the Local Flavors in Seattle
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Seattle:
- Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $38
- Where the Hops Grow! Yakima Brewery Tour : $40
- Woodinville Wine Country: Downtown Wine Tasting Pass: $65
- Woodinville Wine Country: Artisan Hill Wine Tasting Pass: $65
- Brewery and Restaurant Tour of Historic Seattle Neighborhood: $109
- Bon Vivant Woodinville Wine Tasting Tour : $120
- From Snoqualmie Falls & Woodinville Wine Tasting: $262
- Snoqualmie Falls + Wine Tasting: All-Inclusive Small-Group Tour: $263
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Rio de Janeiro and Seattle, we can see that Seattle is more expensive. And not only is Rio de Janeiro much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Rio de Janeiro is in South America and Seattle is in North 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 Seattle would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Seattle 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 Rio de Janeiro Expensive? and Is Seattle Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Rio de Janeiro or Seattle?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Seattle. When comparing the sizes of Rio de Janeiro and Seattle, 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 Rio de Janeiro or Seattle?
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 Seattle has summer in [NORTHERNSUMMERMONTH] and winter in [NORTHERNWINTERMONTH].
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Seattle in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Rio de Janeiro and Seattle. Furthermore, the summer months attract visitors to Seattle because of the beaches, the hiking, the city activities, the music scene, and the family-friendly experiences.
Rio de Janeiro is a little warmer than Seattle in the summer. The daily temperature in Rio de Janeiro averages around 26°C (79°F) in January, and Seattle fluctuates around 67°F (19°C)in July.
Rio de Janeiro gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In January, Rio de Janeiro usually receives more rain than Seattlein July. Rio de Janeiro gets 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain, while Seattle receives 0.9 inches (22 mm) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures January and JulyRio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)Seattle 67°F (19°C)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Seattle in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Rio de Janeiro as well as Seattle. Additionally, the hiking trails, the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, the music scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Seattle this time of year.
In the autumn, Rio de Janeiro is much warmer than Seattle. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Rio de Janeiro in April average around 25°C (77°F), and Seattle averages at about 54°F (12°C)in October.
Rio de Janeiro receives a lot of rain in the autumn. Rio de Janeiro usually gets more rain in April than Seattlein October. Rio de Janeiro gets 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain, while Seattle receives 3.3 inches (83 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures April and OctoberRio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)Seattle 54°F (12°C)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Seattle in the Winter?
Both Seattle and Rio de Janeiro are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Also, many travelers come to Seattle for the museums, the shopping scene, the theater shows, and the cuisine.
In July, Rio de Janeiro is generally much warmer than Seattlein January. Daily temperatures in Rio de Janeiro average around 21°C (70°F), and Seattle fluctuates around 42°F (5°C).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Seattle. In July, Rio de Janeiro usually receives less rain than Seattlein January. Rio de Janeiro gets 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain, while Seattle receives 5.4 inches (136 mm) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures July and JanuaryRio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)Seattle 42°F (5°C)
Should I visit Rio de Janeiro or Seattle in the Spring?
Both Seattle and Rio de Janeiro during the spring are popular places to visit. Also, many visitors come to Seattle in the spring for the beaches, the activities around the city, and the natural beauty.
Rio de Janeiro is much warmer than Seattle in the spring. The daily temperature in Rio de Janeiro averages around 23°C (73°F) in October, and Seattle fluctuates around 51°F (11°C)in April.
Rio de Janeiro usually gets more rain in October than Seattlein April. Rio de Janeiro gets 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain, while Seattle receives 2.5 inches (64 mm) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures October and AprilRio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)Seattle 51°F (11°C)
Typical Weather for Seattle and Rio de Janeiro
| Rio de Janeiro | Seattle | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) | 42°F (5°C) | 5.4 inches (136 mm) |
| Feb | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) | 45°F (7°C) | 4 inches (102 mm) |
| Mar | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) | 47°F (9°C) | 3.8 inches (96 mm) |
| Apr | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) | 51°F (11°C) | 2.5 inches (64 mm) |
| May | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) | 57°F (14°C) | 1.9 inches (47 mm) |
| Jun | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 1.6 inches (40 mm) |
| Jul | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) | 67°F (19°C) | 0.9 inches (22 mm) |
| Aug | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) | 67°F (19°C) | 1.2 inches (31 mm) |
| Sep | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 62°F (17°C) | 1.9 inches (49 mm) |
| Oct | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) | 54°F (12°C) | 3.3 inches (83 mm) |
| Nov | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) | 47°F (8°C) | 5.7 inches (144 mm) |
| Dec | 25°C (77°F) | 169 mm (6.7 in) | 42°F (6°C) | 6 inches (152 mm) |
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.