Brazil on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Brazil works on a budget of about R$ 340 per person per day, sharing a room in Botafogo or Barra and eating at per-kilo restaurants. Domestic flights and the big Rio attractions are the expensive parts, so plan them carefully.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | R$150 | R$350 | R$900 |
| Food & drink | R$100 | R$200 | R$400 |
| Sights & tickets | R$60 | R$130 | R$300 |
| Local transport | R$30 | R$80 | R$200 |
| Per person, per day | R$340 | R$760 | R$1,800 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Brazil day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walk the wave-patterned promenade of Avenida Atlântica along Copacabana Beach
- Climb the tiled Selarón Steps between Lapa and Santa Teresa
- Watch the sunset and the applause at Arpoador rock
- Visit the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura reading room in central Rio
- Wander the cobbled Pelourinho in Salvador and its free Tuesday evening concerts
- Tie a ribbon at the Igreja do Senhor do Bonfim in Salvador
Cheap eats
- Per-kilo lunch buffets, roughly R$ 40-70 a plate
- Acarajé from a street stall in Salvador, about R$ 15-20
- Pão de queijo and coffee at a padaria, about R$ 10-15
- Pastel and sugarcane juice at a street market, about R$ 15-20
- Prato feito (set plate of rice, beans and meat), about R$ 25-40
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels and simple hotels in Botafogo and Copacabana in Rio, and Barra in Salvador. Dorm beds start around R$ 60-120 and budget doubles cost about R$ 250-400, much more at Carnival and New Year.
Getting around cheaply
In Rio, the metro links the beaches, Botafogo and the centre cheaply, and Uber or 99 cover the gaps. From Galeão airport, the airport buses to the south zone are the cheapest option; Santos Dumont is right by the centre and the VLT tram. Long-distance buses are comfortable, but flights save days on routes such as Rio to Salvador.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk Copacabana and Ipanema beaches with a coconut, about R$ 10
- Lunch: per-kilo restaurant, about R$ 50
- Afternoon: metro to the centre, the Theatro Municipal and the reading room, about R$ 15 with transport
- Evening: sunset at Arpoador and dinner in a botequim, about R$ 70
- Total: about R$ 340 per person including a shared room
More ways to save
- Drink chopp in neighbourhood botecos rather than beach-front bars.
- Shop at supermarkets for water, fruit and snacks for the beach.
- Book Corcovado and Sugarloaf online for the first or last slots, when queues are shorter.
- Travel in shoulder season, when hostels and hotels discount.
- Do Iguaçu's Brazilian side yourself by local bus from Foz instead of a tour.
- Ask whether the 10% service charge is already included before you add a tip.
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Common questions
Can you travel Brazil on a budget?
Yes, at about R$ 340 a day with hostels, per-kilo meals and the metro, though domestic flights add a lot.
What is the cheapest food in Brazil?
Per-kilo lunch buffets, set plates (prato feito), pastel and street snacks like acarajé.
How do I get from Rio airport to Copacabana cheaply?
Take an airport bus from Galeão to the south zone, or an app ride from Santos Dumont, which is near the centre.