Rio de Janeiro vs São Paulo

São Paulo leads Rio de Janeiro by 12 points on the CIRA Index, 69 to 57. Rio de Janeiro grades better on 4 measures, São Paulo on 8; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Rio de Janeiro 57, São Paulo 69
• OECD: Rio de Janeiro 55, São Paulo 68
• UN Tourism: Rio de Janeiro 63, São Paulo 72
• UNDRR: Rio de Janeiro 46, São Paulo 55

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Rio de Janeiro 70, São Paulo 75
• Economy and jobs: Rio de Janeiro 58, São Paulo 75
• Climate and hazards: Rio de Janeiro 40, São Paulo 60
• Water and environment: Rio de Janeiro 69, São Paulo 81
• Community and housing: Rio de Janeiro 38, São Paulo 75
• Access and continuity: Rio de Janeiro 54, São Paulo 50

Where Rio de Janeiro is stronger

• 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.
• 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.

Where São Paulo is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 15.7 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Embratur / Ministério do Turismo via Revista Veja, 2025). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Unemployment rate: 5 % of the labour force (region figure) (IBGE - Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios Contínua (PNAD Contínua), 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Extreme heat days: 1.8 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: 26.8 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 10 and 30: grade 3/4.
• Flood hazard: medium (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 2/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 86 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (Sabesp / Instituto Trata Brasil, 2024). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 295.3 kg per resident per year (Preprints.org / SP Regula, 'Have There Been Advances in the Recycling of Household Solid Waste?', 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Short-let density: 1 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (Inside Airbnb & IBGE Censo Demográfico 2022, June 2026). Between 0.5 and 1: grade 3/4.

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

Rio de Janeiro in full · São Paulo in full

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