Which place is cheaper, Rio de Janeiro or Vientiane?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Vientiane 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 Vientiane 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: Vientiane or Rio de Janeiro?
Vientiane
You wouldn't expect the capital city to have such a relaxing environment, but in Vientiane, Laos you can sit back and take in the beautiful scenery without feeling pressure to see every little thing. With Vientiane, what you see is what you get.
While picturesque temples and markets line the streets, the city is still experiencing a successful building boom. Even the Presidential Palace has undergone some hefty renovations.
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 Hiking & Trekking Tours in Laos, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Laos, 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 dayVientiane $15Rio de Janeiro $106
The average daily cost (per person) in Vientiane is $15, while the average daily cost in Rio de Janeiro is $106. 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 Vientiane and Rio de Janeiro in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personVientiane $6.00Rio de Janeiro $67
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomVientiane $12Rio de Janeiro $134
Compare Hotels in Vientiane and Rio de Janeiro
Looking for a hotel in Vientiane 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: Vientiane Hotel Prices and Rio de Janeiro Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Vientiane $2.08Rio de Janeiro $8.04
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Vientiane
Some typical examples of transportation costs in Vientiane are as follows:
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Tuk Tuk Ride$4.23
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Vientiane
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Vientiane:
- Private Transfer in Laos: $5.00
- Vientian Private Airport Transfer - Wattay Airport: $15
- Vientiane Airport Transfer: Wattay airport to hotel - Private transfer: $15
- Vientiane Private Airport and Hotel Transfers: $9.00
- Wattay Airport (VTE): Private Transfer to/from Vientiane: $29
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
Is it cheaper to fly into Vientiane or Rio de Janeiro?
Prices for flights to both Rio de Janeiro and Vientiane 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 dayVientiane $6.30Rio de Janeiro $20
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Vientiane
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Vientiane.
- Private Evening Food Tour of Laos: $70
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
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Vientiane $3.53Rio de Janeiro $22
Tours and Activities in Vientiane
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Vientiane are as follows:
- Vientiane ATV and Canopy Walking Experience: $48
- Vientiane Sky Luge and Roller Zipline Experience: $55
- From Hue: Hue to Vientiane Bus tickets: $61
- Half-Day Vientiane City Bike Tour: $67
- Vientiane Half-Day City Tour: $69
- Guided Vientiane City and Buddha Park Full-Day Tour: $81
- Private Custom Tour with a Local Guide in Vientiane: $82
- Vientiane City Day Tour and Buddha Park Visit with Lunch: $88
- 2 Days Private Tour in Vientiane and Vang Vieng: $90
- Private Vientiane Tour - include Buddha Park: $100
- Private Tour: Full-day Vientiane's Must-See Sights and River Sunset with Lunch: $101
- Private Tour: Half-day City Guided Tour of Vientiane: $113
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
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayVientiane $2.34Rio de Janeiro $12
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 Vientiane and Rio de Janeiro, we can see that Rio de Janeiro is more expensive. And not only is Vientiane much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Vientiane is in Asia 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 Vientiane would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Vientiane 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 Rio de Janeiro would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Rio de Janeiro than you might in Vientiane.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Vientiane Expensive? and Is Rio de Janeiro Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Vientiane or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a larger population, and is about 30 times larger than the population of Vientiane. When comparing the sizes of Vientiane 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 Vientiane or Rio de Janeiro?
Rio de Janeiro has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons, but Vientiane experiences a warm climate with fairly sunny weather most of the year.
Should I visit Vientiane or Rio de Janeiro in the Summer?
The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Vientiane and Rio de Janeiro. Warm weather and sunshine bring visitors to Vientiane year-round.
In July, Vientiane is generally a little warmer than Rio de Janeiroin January. Daily temperatures in Vientiane average around 30°C (85°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 26°C (79°F).
Rio de Janeiro receives a lot of rain in the summer. Vientiane gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In July, Vientiane usually receives more rain than Rio de Janeiroin January. Vientiane gets 266 mm (10.5 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 114 mm (4.5 in) of rain each month for the summer.
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Summer Average Temperatures July and JanuaryVientiane 30°C (85°F)Rio de Janeiro 26°C (79°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Rio de Janeiro in the Autumn?
The autumn brings many poeple to Vientiane as well as Rio de Janeiro. Vientiane attracts visitors year-round for its warm weather and sunny climate.
Vientiane is a little warmer than Rio de Janeiro in the autumn. The daily temperature in Vientiane averages around 28°C (83°F) in October, and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 25°C (77°F)in April.
It's quite rainy in Rio de Janeiro. Vientiane usually gets less rain in October than Rio de Janeiroin April. Vientiane gets 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Autumn Average Temperatures October and AprilVientiane 28°C (83°F)Rio de Janeiro 25°C (77°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Rio de Janeiro in the Winter?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Vientiane are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. The warm climate attracts visitors to Vientiane throughout the year.
In the winter, Vientiane is a little warmer than Rio de Janeiro. Typically, the winter temperatures in Vientiane in January average around 24°C (75°F), and Rio de Janeiro averages at about 21°C (70°F)in July.
In January, Vientiane usually receives less rain than Rio de Janeiroin July. Vientiane gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the winter.
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Winter Average Temperatures January and JulyVientiane 24°C (75°F)Rio de Janeiro 21°C (70°F)
Should I visit Vientiane or Rio de Janeiro in the Spring?
Both Rio de Janeiro and Vientiane during the spring are popular places to visit. Plenty of visitors come to Vientiane because of the warm climate and sunshine that lasts throughout the year.
Vientiane can become quite hot in the spring. In April, Vientiane is generally a little warmer than Rio de Janeiroin October. Daily temperatures in Vientiane average around 31°C (88°F), and Rio de Janeiro fluctuates around 23°C (73°F).
Vientiane usually gets around the same amount of rain in April as Rio de Janeiroin October. Vientiane gets 85 mm (3.3 in) of rain, while Rio de Janeiro receives 88 mm (3.5 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Spring Average Temperatures April and OctoberVientiane 31°C (88°F)Rio de Janeiro 23°C (73°F)
Typical Weather for Rio de Janeiro and Vientiane
| Vientiane | Rio de Janeiro | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 24°C (75°F) | 6 mm (0.2 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Feb | 26°C (79°F) | 12 mm (0.5 in) | 27°C (81°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Mar | 29°C (85°F) | 36 mm (1.4 in) | 26°C (79°F) | 103 mm (4.1 in) |
| Apr | 31°C (88°F) | 85 mm (3.3 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 137 mm (5.4 in) |
| May | 30°C (87°F) | 255 mm (10 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 86 mm (3.4 in) |
| Jun | 30°C (86°F) | 273 mm (10.7 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 80 mm (3.1 in) |
| Jul | 30°C (85°F) | 266 mm (10.5 in) | 21°C (70°F) | 56 mm (2.2 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (85°F) | 323 mm (12.7 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 51 mm (2 in) |
| Sep | 29°C (84°F) | 295 mm (11.6 in) | 22°C (72°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) |
| Oct | 28°C (83°F) | 87 mm (3.4 in) | 23°C (73°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Nov | 26°C (79°F) | 10 mm (0.4 in) | 24°C (75°F) | 96 mm (3.8 in) |
| Dec | 24°C (74°F) | 3 mm (0.1 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.