Brazil · City report

Salaries in Rio de Janeiro, BR

75 careers with observed metro pay in Rio de Janeiro — about 30% below the Brazil average. Figures in BRL.

Showing amounts in USD (USD default; source data is BRL). FX as of Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Convert currencies

Pay index (Brazil)
70
100 = national average
Cost of living
100
100 = US national average
Metro population
6,747,815

Rio de Janeiro salaries sit ~30% below the Brazil average

Rio de Janeiro, BR lists 75 careers with observed metro percentiles in BRL. Pay index 0.70 (30% below national); COL 100 vs a US baseline of 100.

Surgeon leads this Rio de Janeiro table at R$ 496.000 a year, with Radiologist at R$ 483.000 and Psychiatrist at R$ 445.000. The midpoint of the listed set is Industrial Engineer at R$ 162.000 — a better “typical covered career here” than row #1 alone. Top-of-list mix: 5 healthcare, 3 technology, and 1 finance & business.

Population in the dataset is about 6,747,815. Larger labour markets usually support wider industry mix; smaller ones can look “high paying” on one clinical or tech title and thin everywhere else. Licensing and immigration rules are independent of this cash sort.

Brazil shows about 5% CPI in 2025. Open a role’s Rio de Janeiro salary page for p10–p90, take-home, and rent models — this hub is the directory. Missing careers may still have a national Brazil page even when this metro lacks observed percentiles.

Reading pay and COL together in Rio de Janeiro

Use pay index (0.70) for wage level vs Brazil, and COL (100) for prices. High on both is not the same as high real leftover.

Figures are observed metro medians where listed, in BRL, gross. They are market estimates — not a promise from any one employer.

What tops the Rio de Janeiro cash list

Surgeon: Surgeons perform operations to treat injuries, diseases, and deformities. Observed median here: R$ 496.000. That lead reflects how this metro prices the occupation, not a recommendation to retrain tomorrow.

Average salary by job in Rio de Janeiro

JobPer year
SurgeonHealthcare$95,764
RadiologistHealthcare$93,254
PsychiatristHealthcare$85,917
PhysicianHealthcare$78,387
DentistHealthcare$59,852
Cloud ArchitectTechnology$55,991
Investment BankerFinance & Business$55,412
Corporate AttorneyLegal$54,640
Site Reliability EngineerTechnology$52,130
Product ManagerTechnology$50,585
DevOps EngineerTechnology$47,496
LawyerLegal$47,110
ActuaryFinance & Business$45,758
Physician AssistantHealthcare$45,372
Nurse PractitionerHealthcare$44,600
PharmacistHealthcare$43,055
Data EngineerTechnology$43,055
Aerospace EngineerEngineering$43,055
OptometristHealthcare$42,283
Management ConsultantFinance & Business$40,931
Sales ManagerFinance & Business$37,649
Chemical EngineerEngineering$37,263
Electrical EngineerEngineering$36,298
UX DesignerTechnology$35,139
VeterinarianHealthcare$35,139
Financial AdvisorFinance & Business$34,174
Database AdministratorTechnology$33,595
Network EngineerTechnology$33,402
Project ManagerFinance & Business$32,822
Marketing ManagerFinance & Business$32,436
Biomedical EngineerEngineering$32,436
School PrincipalEducation$32,436
PsychologistHealthcare$31,857
Environmental EngineerEngineering$31,471
Data ScientistTechnology$31,278
QA EngineerTechnology$31,278
AI EngineerTechnology$31,278
Industrial EngineerEngineering$31,278
Web DeveloperTechnology$31,085
Physical TherapistHealthcare$30,505
Operations ManagerFinance & Business$30,505
ProfessorEducation$30,312
Civil EngineerEngineering$30,312
ArchitectCreative$30,312
Occupational TherapistHealthcare$30,312
Data AnalystTechnology$29,540
Systems AdministratorTechnology$28,961
Business AnalystFinance & Business$28,575
Software EngineerTechnology$28,382
Frontend DeveloperTechnology$28,382
Backend DeveloperTechnology$28,382
Full-Stack DeveloperTechnology$28,382
Dental HygienistHealthcare$27,802
HR ManagerFinance & Business$27,416
AuditorFinance & Business$25,293
Financial AnalystFinance & Business$24,906
RecruiterFinance & Business$24,520
Real Estate AgentFinance & Business$24,327
Mechanical EngineerEngineering$22,203
ParalegalLegal$21,045
CopywriterCreative$20,852
ElectricianSkilled Trades$20,659
ChefSkilled Trades$20,659
PlumberSkilled Trades$20,080
Video EditorCreative$19,693
AccountantFinance & Business$19,500
Social Media ManagerCreative$19,500
HVAC TechnicianSkilled Trades$19,249
Graphic DesignerCreative$19,230
IT Support SpecialistTechnology$18,767
TeacherEducation$18,632
CarpenterSkilled Trades$17,357
PhotographerCreative$16,990
WelderSkilled Trades$16,450
Registered NurseHealthcare$15,272

Frequently asked questions

Are salaries high in Rio de Janeiro, BR?
Rio de Janeiro, BR pays about 30% below the Brazil average (pay index 0.70). High cash is not the same as high leftover after COL 100.
What is the cost of living in Rio de Janeiro, BR?
COL index 100 (100 = US national average). About the baseline.
What is the highest-paying job in Rio de Janeiro, BR?
Of roles with observed data, Surgeon leads at about R$ 496.000 per year.
How many careers have salary data for Rio de Janeiro, BR?
75 careers list observed metro pay in BRL on this hub.
How should I read salaries in Rio de Janeiro, BR?
Compare pay index (0.70) with COL (100), then open a role page for percentiles and take-home. Estimates only — not offers.