however, the cost of living in many areas of rio are increasing significantly due to a booming economy, a weakening dollar,  and a stronger local currency. the recent creation of a large middle class has spurred the introduction of a huge variety of new restaurants, shops, and services.

notably, these new offering and services are priced in between the historically expensive options, only accessible to the wealthy, and the very modestly priced alternatives normally accessible by the working class.

imported goods such as foreign cars and electronics are normally very expensive, and can cost about twice what they would cost in europe or in the united states, with prices also being affected by the price of crude oil.