Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Abuja and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,095 in Abuja versus $969 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Abuja versus $1,551 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,962 in Abuja versus $2,132 in Brasilia.

Living in Abuja is roughly 13% more expensive than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Abuja 21% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.19 ₦2,897

$8.92 R$45.75

-75.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.48 ₦40.4K

$38.80 R$199

-21.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.46 ₦5,908

$8.49 R$43.54

-47.47%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ₦4,352

$2.58 R$13.24

27.13%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₦736

$1.41 R$7.22

-60.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₦961

$0.90 R$4.62

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ₦1,415

$2.36 R$12.07

-54.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₦2,790

$3.87 R$19.83

-45.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.63 ₦4,817

$1.08 R$5.53

236.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 ₦1,724

$2.03 R$10.43

-35.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ₦2,897

$1.28 R$6.58

71.09%

Eggs

$1.88 ₦2,495

$2.43 R$12.45

-22.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.16 ₦14.8K

$11.81 R$60.6

-5.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 ₦6,901

$4.11 R$21.09

26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.98 ₦7,925

$8.48 R$43.47

-29.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 ₦2,639

$2.42 R$12.39

-17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ₦1,895

$1.46 R$7.47

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 ₦2,041

$1.28 R$6.55

20.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₦3,093

$1.65 R$8.45

41.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ₦2,482

$1.16 R$5.92

61.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₦3,256

$1.07 R$5.47

129.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₦794

$0.79 R$4.03

-24.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 ₦503

$0.95 R$4.85

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 ₦2,725

$2.40 R$12.29

-14.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 ₦7,687

$8.23 R$42.17

-29.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₦1,576

$1.22 R$6.27

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₦2,447

$2.34 R$12.02

-20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₦525

$1.00 R$5.10

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.32 ₦44.2K

$35.06 R$180

-4.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 ₦772

$1.07 R$5.47

-45.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 ₦1,076

$0.92 R$4.73

-11.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 ₦2,570

$6.05 R$30.99

-67.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 ₦726

$1.31 R$6.73

-58.02%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.5K ₦35.1M

$23.3K R$119.6K

13.66%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.3K ₦24.3M

$31.9K R$163.6K

-42.57%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$113 ₦149.6K

$96.4 R$494

17.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.56 ₦8,691

$12.61 R$64.6

-47.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.15 ₦38.6K

$21.81 R$112

33.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.66 ₦47.3K

$31.07 R$159

14.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.81 ₦14.3K

$27.00 R$138

-59.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 ₦6,488

$7.68 R$39.38

-36.20%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$45.43 ₦60.2K

$822 R$4,214

-94.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,219 ₦4.3M

$16.4K R$84.3K

-80.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.57 ₦33.9K

$51.7 R$265

-50.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 ₦81.0K

$43.32 R$222

41.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 ₦103.6K

$83.3 R$427

-6.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₦142.1K

$86.4 R$443

24.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 ₦1.9M

$479 R$2,453

198.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₦581.7K

$258 R$1,322

70.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,407 ₦4.5M

$1,116 R$5,719

205.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,515 ₦2.0M

$557 R$2,855

171.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$712 ₦943.7K

$2,457 R$12.6K

-71.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$374 ₦496.2K

$1,748 R$8,962

-78.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 ₦220.0K

$844 R$4,327

-80.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.5

12.12

85.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abuja: September 8, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,426 in Abuja and $479 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 409% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Abuja vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $209, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Abuja vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Abuja and Brasilia differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,095 vs $969 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 409% lower in Brasilia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,426 in Abuja versus $479 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,095 per month in Abuja versus $969 in Brasilia – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brasilia runs roughly 5% less than in Abuja. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $969 in Brasilia versus $1,095 in Abuja, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasilia but tight or insufficient in Abuja. The gap between the two cities makes Brasilia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.