From Halved Tomatoes to Record Drop in 22 Capitals: Basic Food Basket Becomes Cheaper, but Rio de Janeiro Remains Among the Most Expensive in the Country with Average Cost of R$ 799

Written by Felipe Alves da Silva

Published on 16/10/2025 at 00:03

Updated on 15/10/2025 at 23:33

Preço da cesta básica recua em 22 capitais; no Rio de Janeiro, custo médio é de R$ 799. Créditos: Imagem ilustrativa criada por IA – uso editorial.

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Even With Reduction in 22 of the 27 Brazilian Capitals, the Cost of the Basic Basket Still Burdens Consumers; in September, Rio de Janeiro Registered a Slight Decrease of 0.26%, but Remains With One of the Most Expensive Baskets in the Country, Behind Only São Paulo, Porto Alegre and Florianópolis

The price of the basic basket showed reduction in 22 of the 27 Brazilian capitals during the month of September, according to a joint survey by the National Supply Company (Conab) and the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socio-Economic Studies (DIEESE). The research, which monthly monitors the average cost of essential foods, revealed that even with the widespread decline, Rio de Janeiro still has the fourth highest value in the country, with an average cost of R$ 799.22.

Between August and September 2025, the capitals with the largest reductions were Fortaleza (-6.31%), Palmas (-5.91%), Rio Branco (-3.16%), São Luís (-3.15%) and Teresina (-2.63%). In Rio, the decrease was 0.26%, indicating stability compared to other regions. Only São Paulo (R$ 842.26), Porto Alegre (R$ 811.44) and Florianópolis (R$ 811.07) maintained higher values than the capital of Rio.

Tomato Leads Price Drops in 26 Cities

According to the report, the tomato was the standout of the month, showing a price reduction in 26 capitals, reaching 50% drop in Palmas. The only city to register a rise was Macapá. Meanwhile, the price of potato increased only in Belo Horizonte, while in the other 10 capitals where the product is monitored, there was a decrease in the average price.

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Workers Spend Less Time Buying the Basic Basket

In addition to the price reductions, the survey showed an improvement in the purchasing power of workers. In September 2025, the average time needed to acquire all the items in the basic basket was 99 hours and 53 minutes, lower than the 101 hours and 31 minutes recorded in August. In the same period of 2024, considering the 17 capitals with complete historical series, the journey was even longer — 102 hours and 20 minutes.

In Rio de Janeiro, eight of the 13 products that make up the basic basket showed decreases in average prices between August and September 2025:

Potato: -11.75%
Tomato: -8.73%
Ground Coffee: -2.92%
Black Beans: -2.26%
Long Grain Rice: -1.69%
Butter: -1.52%
Refined Sugar: -0.66%
Whole Milk: -0.41%

On the other hand, five items registered price increases in the same period:

Banana: +6.52%
Soy Oil: +6.11%
Wheat Flour: +1.59%
French Bread: +1.24%
Beef: +1.04%

According to data from DIEESE, these punctual adjustments prevent a more significant reduction in the total cost of the basic basket.

Challenges Remain Despite Relief Trend

Even with the decline recorded in September, experts warn that food inflation is still a concern. The reduction in the cost of the basic basket is linked to seasonal factors, such as more abundant harvests and stability in international grain prices. However, the increase in items like soy oil and banana shows that consumers remain vulnerable to climatic and logistical variations that impact the final price of food.

According to DIEESE, the downward trend is positive, but insufficient to change the scenario of food inequality among regions. Capitals in the North and Northeast continue to register longer work hours to acquire the same products, while cities in the South and Southeast still concentrate the highest nominal values.

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From Halved Tomatoes to Record Drop in 22 Capitals: Basic Food Basket Becomes Cheaper, but Rio de Janeiro Remains Among the Most Expensive in the Country with Average Cost of R$ 799

Even With Reduction in 22 of the 27 Brazilian Capitals, the Cost of the Basic Basket Still Burdens Consumers; in September, Rio de Janeiro Registered a Slight Decrease of 0.26%, but Remains With One of the Most Expensive Baskets in the Country, Behind Only São Paulo, Porto Alegre and Florianópolis

Tomato Leads Price Drops in 26 Cities

Workers Spend Less Time Buying the Basic Basket

Challenges Remain Despite Relief Trend

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From Halved Tomatoes to Record Drop in 22 Capitals: Basic Food Basket Becomes Cheaper, but Rio de Janeiro Remains Among the Most Expensive in the Country with Average Cost of R$ 799

Tomato Leads Price Drops in 26 Cities

Workers Spend Less Time Buying the Basic Basket

Challenges Remain Despite Relief Trend

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