With less than a thousand days to go, it’s about time you began to consider how to budget for the 2014 World Cup (if you haven’t done so already) as prices will start to rise drastically as the start to this internationally renowned event approaches. Naturally, the amount you’ll need to budget for the 2014 World Cup will depend on whereabouts you plan to stay, how long you’ll be there for and what other tours and activities you plan on carrying out. Below we've included a list of what you will need to budget for and roughly how much to put aside in order to make your World Cup experience in Rio de Janeiro truly enjoyable.

Match Tickets

Below is a chart of prices for tickets to the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro for the general public:

Category 1

Category 2

Category 3

Disabled Access

$920

$705

$470

$470

As you’ll be spending a fair bit of money in getting to Brazil in the first place, our advice would be to attend fewer games but choose the better seats, as you’ll have an all-round better experience by choosing quality over quantity.

Tickets have recently gone on sale again and are being distributed on a first-come-first serve basis between now and November 28th. Make sure you don’t miss out and apply for your ticket via the FIFA World Cup website now!

Flights

Booking your flights to Rio de Janeiro in advance will save you a considerable amount of money. We have included the current cheapest available return flights from London, New York, Sydney, Auckland and Johannesburg over a five-week period. If you are coming from another destination, you can find the best prices on flights to Rio to Janeiro on Skyscanner’s website.

DATES DESTINATION PRICE
9/06/14 – 16/07/14 London £1,001
9/06/14 – 16/07/14 New York US$1,987
9/06/14 – 16/07/14 Sydney AUD$3,900
9/06/14 – 16/07/14 Auckland NZD$4,480
9/06/14 – 16/07/14 Johannesburg R15,655

In-Country Transportation

Once you've arrived in Rio de Janeiro, you'll need to think about transport to and the airport. Taxis will range from $50 - $100 from the airport to the city centre and to most hostels and hotels, unless they are much further out. A transfer service is a cheaper option, costing just $62, and public buses and the subway are cheaper still, however these are less comfortable and convenient if you have a lot of baggage. If you’re that intent on budgeting though, you can spend as little as $1.50 to reach your accommodation from the airport on a public bus or subway.

Buses are ideal when exploring the city too, as not only are they cheap but will enable you to see more. For getting to and from the Maracanã Stadium, the subway is your best option as it is quick and easy, and will cost no more than $4. As for reaching other cities in Brazil from Rio, your best option is to fly with one of Brazil's top domestic airlines, such as TAM, Gol or Voe Azul. This will will save you a considerable amount of time, for the traffic on the roads during this period in Rio de Janeiro and the other cities will be incredibly heavy.

Maracanã Stadium The Maracanã Stadium will host the most games during the World Cup / source

Accommodation

Unless you will be staying with family or friends during the World Cup 2014, there are just three options for accommodation in Rio de Janeiro: hotels, hostels and apartments. If you’re travelling with a group of people, an apartment is most likely to be your best and most budget-friendly option, whereas if you’re an independent traveller, you’re better off staying in a hostel. Hotels will be the most expensive option, but of course it is possible to find budget hotels in the city as well. At the moment, you can still find apartments for as low as $6,000 per month for the June / July period which, depending on how many people you’re splitting the cost with, could prove to be a very good deal. Hotels will set you back at least $6,120 per month per person, whereas hostels will charge a minimum of $17 (for a shared dorm) and $22.50 (for a private room). Be sure to book accommodation in Rio de Janeiro soon, or else you might find yourself stranded without a place to stay.

Food

On the whole, the cost of food in Rio de Janeiro does not vary that much from the cost of food in the United Kingdom or the States. As long as you avoid overly fancy restaurants, you can comfortably live off a budget of around $30 per day for food. Some meals can cost you as little as $2 and it’s even possible to find beer for $3! However, if you tend to drink a lot, you should probably increase your budget as alcoholic beverages in bars and clubs can be fairly pricey.

Tours & activities

If you plan on doing any tours and activities in Rio de Janeiro during your stay (which we’d highly advise you do) then don’t forget to put aside a portion of your budget for these as well. Tours range from $29 for a half-day sailing tour through the beautiful Guanabara Bay, to $335 for a hiking tour of Ilha Grande. We recommend you book in advance to avoid problems with reservation and speculative last minute prices, and patience is a must as this will inevitably be a highly chaotic period!

While in Rio, take the opportunity to visit the beautiful Ilha Grande / source

To book any of these tours and activities, or for more information on how to budget for the 2014 World Cup, visit the Rdj4u website.


By: Camilla Day