Rio de Janeiro vs Mérida

Tijuca is almost half the price of Barra. On top of rent comes the building fee (condomínio) of 12–19 reais per m² a month, that is 700–1,100 reais for 60 m².

SpecialistSECOVI-Rio: rent, sale and building fee (condomínio) across 20 districts, June 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

By the 2020 census the municipality of Mérida has 995 thousand residents, the city itself 922 thousand. 19% of residents were born in another Mexican state.

OfficialINEGI: 2020 census, results by locality for Yucatán (ITER) · checked 6 Oct 2026

A two-bedroom in Temozón Norte is mostly 15-17k pesos for 70-100 m², in Altabrisa 32-38k, in Montejo 21-27k, in Cholul and Villas del Sol 11.5-15k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

A two-room apartment of about 60 m² by listings: Tijuca 2,100, Laranjeiras 3,400, Flamengo 3,800, Botafogo 4,600, Copacabana 4,600, Barra 4,900 reais a month.

SpecialistSECOVI-Rio: rent, sale and building fee (condomínio) across 20 districts, June 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

An apartment of about 60 m² by listings: from 400k reais in Tijuca to 880k in Barra. Botafogo 800k, Copacabana 740k, Flamengo 700k.

SpecialistSECOVI-Rio: rent, sale and building fee (condomínio) across 20 districts, June 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

A two-bedroom apartment in listings is about 16,750 pesos a month, half between 15,000 and 22,900. Of 311 offers, 61 are under 15k and 116 above 20k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Three-bedroom house: 1034 listings up to 4M pesos, 1355 from 4 to 6M, 1475 above. First-page median 6.65M, about 23k per square meter.

SpecialistMercado Libre: three-bedroom houses for sale in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

DIEESE's basic basket in Rio in August 2026 is 851.19 reais per adult. For a family of two adults and two children, about 2,550 a month.

SpecialistDIEESE: national basic food basket survey, August 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

DIEESE calculates that a family of four needed 7,566 reais a month in August 2026. The figure is one for the whole country and already includes housing; it does not reflect Rio rents.

SpecialistDIEESE: nominal and necessary minimum wage by month · checked 30 Sep 2026

INEGI's urban food basket is 2562.58 pesos per person a month, 10,250 for a family of four (August 2026). A nationwide figure, the food minimum.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

INEGI's urban poverty line is 4905.33 pesos per person, 19,621 a month for a family of four (August 2026). A floor without rent, not a real budget.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Private school: on average about 2,200 reais a month by listings including scholarships, range 190–4,200. International schools in Barra 5,100–8,300.

SpecialistMelhor Escola: scholarships and monthly fees of private schools in Tijuca (Rio) · checked 30 Sep 2026

Micole's estimate for Yucatán: primary school 4000-12,000 pesos a month, kindergarten 3000-8000, international and IB schools 15,000-35,000. Plus an annual fee.

SpecialistMicole: how much a private school costs in Yucatán in 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

The city has 139 municipal Clínicas da Família and 244 SUS primary care points (as of 27 September 2026). We did not look at private clinics or insurance prices.

OfficialRio City Hall: opening of the 139th Clínica da Família, 244 primary care units · checked 30 Sep 2026

According to INEGI, Mérida has 13 private medical facilities with 337 beds (2025). Guadalajara, for comparison, has 76 and 1473. Public hospitals not counted.

OfficialINEGI: statistics of private health facilities (ESEP) 2025, report 28/26 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Bus, BRT and VLT: 5 reais, metro 7.90, SuperVia train 7.60. The Bilhete Único Carioca combines up to three trips within 3 hours.

SpecialistG1: bus, BRT and VLT fare in Rio rises to 5 reais from 4 January 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

International flights only from Galeão (20 km from the center): direct to Lisbon, Paris, Madrid, London, Rome, New York, Miami. Santos Dumont handles domestic flights.

SpecialistCartões, Milhas e Viagens: Galeão international destinations in 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

The airport is 7 km from the main square, about 9 minutes without traffic. In August 2026: 374 thousand passengers, almost all domestic, 35 thousand international.

OfficialASUR: airport passenger traffic for August 2026 (filing on the BMV stock exchange) · checked 6 Oct 2026

The coolest month is July: average minimum 18.4°C, maximum 25.3°C. No frost, and winter is noticeably drier than summer: 56 mm in July.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Rio de Janeiro · checked 30 Sep 2026

January and February: average minimum 23.3–23.5°C, average maximum 29.4–30.2°C. These are 1961–1990 norms, we did not open recent heat measurements.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Rio de Janeiro · checked 30 Sep 2026

About 1,170 mm a year. Rainiest December–April (169 mm in December), driest July–August (50–56 mm).

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Rio de Janeiro · checked 30 Sep 2026

The hottest month is May: on average 36.1 degrees by day and 21.3 at night. From April to September the mean maximum is 34-36 degrees.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

About 1050 mm a year, 71% of it from June to October, 120-175 mm a month. March and April are the driest, about 25 mm.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

The coolest month is January: on average 31.3 degrees by day and 17 at night. There is no winter as such; it is the mildest time of the year.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

965 intentional homicides in 2025 against 946 in 2024. Deaths from police action 449 against 339 a year earlier.

SpecialistCrime Brasil: crime in the city of Rio, 20 years of ISP data, 2025 results · checked 30 Sep 2026

We did not find a full ISP breakdown by district. According to the press, phone thefts in the first 9 months of 2025: Catete 2,121, Leblon 1,880, Barra 1,806, Copacabana 1,702, Botafogo 1,310.

SpecialistExtra: phone thefts and robberies in Rio state, police districts with the most cases · checked 30 Sep 2026

The last strong hit was Isidore in September 2002: it made landfall as a category 3 near Telchac, and its eyewall passed over Mérida. Milton in 2024 passed by at sea.

OfficialNHC: Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Isidore (AL102002) · checked 6 Oct 2026

In June 2026, 38.2% of adults in Mérida felt unsafe versus 59.8% nationwide. Homicides in 2024: 33, about 3 per 100,000 residents.

OfficialINEGI: ENSU, perceived safety by city, June 2026 (report 27/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Fiber in Rio goes up to 1 Gbps at Oi and up to 10 Gbps at Claro, according to the operators' sites. Actual speed depends on the building and the plan.

SpecialistOi Fibra: 500 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s plans · checked 30 Sep 2026

Oi Fibra: 500 Mbps – 89.90 reais, gigabit – 159.90 when paying by card. The page was updated in April 2025, prices may be higher now.

SpecialistOi Fibra: 500 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s plans · checked 30 Sep 2026

Telmex: from 389 pesos for 120 Mbps to 1399 for a gigabit. Totalplay 100 Mbps for 390, Megacable 1000 Mbps for 1000 pesos on promotion. Prices are nationwide.

SpecialistExpansión: Telmex, Totalplay, Megacable and Izzi internet packages, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

A 13 kg cylinder in Rio averages 99.63 reais (89.99–113.00) according to ANP for 20–26 September 2026. The Naturgy piped gas tariff was not confirmed.

OfficialANP: weekly price survey, 13 kg gas cylinder (GLP) by municipality, 20-26 September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026

Water in 115 districts of Rio is supplied by Águas do Rio, residential tariff 2: 6.52–7.52 reais per m³ in the first 15 m³, 98–113 reais for 15 m³. Tariff 1, which is cheaper, also exists. Without sewage.

OfficialÁguas do Rio: water tariffs from December 2025 (regions 1 and 4, zones A and B) · checked 30 Sep 2026

The Light tariff for homes is 0.881 reais per kWh before taxes, but a court later raised the increase for homes from 6.4% to 14.6%, so the figure is probably out of date.

SpecialistEnergy calculator: Light home tariff from 15 March 2026 (based on ANEEL data) · checked 30 Sep 2026

Light benchmark for 300 kWh: about 264 reais before taxes, about 351 with taxes, at the 0.881 tariff. After the court decision of 29 May 2026 the bill is probably higher.

SpecialistEnergy calculator: Light tariff, a 300 kWh bill with ICMS (based on ANEEL data) · checked 30 Sep 2026

JAPAY water from 1 Feb 2026: up to 20 m³ a flat charge by city zone, 67-107 pesos. 15 m³ costs 99-104 pesos, with sewerage (plus 50%) 149-156.

OfficialJAPAY: water and sewerage tariffs from 1 February 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

LP gas price cap in Mérida for 27 Sep - 3 Oct 2026: 20.66 pesos per kg, 11.16 per liter. A 20 kg cylinder at the cap is about 413 pesos.

OfficialComisión Nacional de Energía: maximum LP gas prices from 27 September to 3 October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Yucatán has the hot-climate CFE tariffs 1C and 1D: cheap kWh up to 850-1000 a month, summer relief until 31 October. 1000 kWh over two months on 1D costs 2255 pesos.

SpecialistRiviera Maya News: a proposal to move Yucatán to CFE tariff 1F · checked 6 Oct 2026