Climate
Fortaleza logs 144 hot days a year to Rio de Janeiro's 65 — Rio de Janeiro wins by 79. Fortaleza also leads on sunny days by 56.
Fortaleza
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Rio de Janeiro
Feels-like °C
Dinner outside
Cost of Living
Rio de Janeiro averages $1,689/mo for balanced living; Fortaleza has no cost baseline yet.
Rio de Janeiro
$1,689monthly · balanced
Mobility
Rio de Janeiro scores 2.8 on mobility (0–5 scale); Fortaleza has no mobility baseline.
Culture
Rio de Janeiro's culture score of 4.2 sits well above Fortaleza's 0.0.
Nature & Outdoors
Rio de Janeiro scores 5.0 on nature & outdoors (0–5 scale); Fortaleza has no nature & outdoors baseline.
Safety
Rio de Janeiro scores 0.6 on safety (0–5 scale); Fortaleza has no safety baseline.
Career
Rio de Janeiro scores 3.2 on career (0–5 scale); Fortaleza has no career baseline.
Social & Community
Rio de Janeiro scores 3.4 on social & community (0–5 scale); Fortaleza has no social & community baseline.
Food & Dining
Rio de Janeiro scores 3.2 on food & dining (0–5 scale); Fortaleza has no food & dining baseline.
Family
Rio de Janeiro scores 3.1 on family (0–5 scale); Fortaleza has no family baseline.
Healthcare
Rio de Janeiro scores 2.4 on healthcare (0–5 scale); Fortaleza has no healthcare baseline.
Air Quality
Fortaleza averages 10.9 µg/m³ (moderate) PM2.5 annually versus Rio de Janeiro's 15.7 µg/m³ (sensitive-groups) — Fortaleza breathes ~30% cleaner air (4.7 µg/m³ lower).
Fortaleza
Rio de Janeiro
PM2.5 annual average
WHO classification
City Scale
Both maps at the same real-world scale — 1 cm on either map is the same distance.
Fortaleza (3.3M) and Rio de Janeiro (9.9M) are 3.0x in population — Rio de Janeiro is the larger metro, Fortaleza the smaller; on land area Rio de Janeiro spans roughly 3.1x more ground.
Rio de Janeiro is roughly 3.0x the scale of Fortaleza
Combined population & area comparison
Rio de JaneiroFortalezaCity Scale Rankings
Rio de Janeiro9.9M3.0xFortaleza3.3M1xRio de Janeiro1,285 km²3.1xFortaleza413 km²1xFortaleza
Rio de Janeiro
Who Thrives Here
Rio de Janeiro is the stronger fit for the ocean lover. Both cities work well for the winter escapist.
Also compared
Frequently asked about Fortaleza vs Rio de Janeiro
▶Which is cheaper, Fortaleza or Rio de Janeiro?
▶How does the climate compare between Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro?
▶Is Fortaleza or Rio de Janeiro safer?
▶Should I move to Fortaleza or Rio de Janeiro?
The best city depends on what matters to you
This comparison shows how Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro stack up on the data. But your climate preferences, budget, career needs, and lifestyle priorities can shift the picture entirely. A personalized diagnostic finds what fits your life.
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