Brasília vs Rio de Janeiro

Brasília leads Rio de Janeiro by 4 points on the CIRA Index, 61 to 57. Brasília grades better on 7 measures, Rio de Janeiro on 7; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Brasília 61, Rio de Janeiro 57
• OECD: Brasília 60, Rio de Janeiro 55
• UN Tourism: Brasília 63, Rio de Janeiro 63
• UNDRR: Brasília 51, Rio de Janeiro 46

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Brasília 60, Rio de Janeiro 70
• Economy and jobs: Brasília 58, Rio de Janeiro 58
• Climate and hazards: Brasília 60, Rio de Janeiro 40
• Water and environment: Brasília 69, Rio de Janeiro 69
• Community and housing: Brasília 83, Rio de Janeiro 38
• Access and continuity: Brasília 46, Rio de Janeiro 54

Where Brasília is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 27.7 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Agência Brasília / Embratur / Ministério do Turismo, Jan–Sep 2025). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Extreme heat days: 0.6 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 43 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 30 and 60: grade 2/4.
• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 86.7 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Instituto Trata Brasil - Ranking do Saneamento 2024 (using SNIS 2022 data), 2022). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
• Rent growth: 6.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Fipe / DataZAP, Índice FipeZAP de Locação Residencial, 2025). Between 6 and 10: grade 2/4.
• Short-let density: 0.3 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & IBGE Censo Demográfico 2022, 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.

Where Rio de Janeiro is stronger

• Average length of stay: 4.6 nights per visitor (Secretaria Municipal de Turismo do Rio de Janeiro (SMTUR-RIO) / Observatório do Turismo Carioca, 2025). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 68 % average annual occupancy (FOHB (Fórum de Operadores Hoteleiros do Brasil) & HotelInvest, Panorama da Hotelaria Brasileira 2025, 2024). Between 65 and 75: grade 3/4.
• Wildfire and storm hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Green space: 49 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index (HUGSI), 2024). At or above 40: grade 4/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Encyclopaedia Britannica & Port of Rio de Janeiro / RIOGaleão, 2024–2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Secretaria de Estado de Turismo do Rio de Janeiro (Setur-RJ) & G1, 2025). Grade 1/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Brazil: #32 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Brazil: #32 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Brasília in full · Rio de Janeiro in full

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