Cost of Living Comparison Between Arad and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Arad and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $901 per month in Arad vs $974 in Brasilia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,432 per month in Arad vs $1,587 in Brasilia, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,962 per month in Arad vs $2,201 in Brasilia, rent included.

Arad is about 7% cheaper than Brasilia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arad and Brasilia are more affordable than the global median – Arad 34% lower, Brasilia 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 RON 39.41

$8.71 R$44.90

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 RON 156

$38.13 R$196

-10.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 RON 35.79

$8.12 R$41.84

-3.94%

Cappuccino

$2.66 RON 12.21

$2.57 R$13.22

3.50%

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

$1.50 RON 6.87

$1.44 R$7.40

4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.70

$0.97 R$4.97

73.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 RON 10.19

$2.31 R$11.89

-3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 RON 12.27

$3.78 R$19.47

-29.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 RON 5.44

$1.07 R$5.53

10.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.91

$2.09 R$10.77

-38.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.35

$1.32 R$6.80

37.88%

Eggs

$2.78 RON 12.77

$2.44 R$12.58

13.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 RON 33.75

$11.71 R$60.3

-37.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.20 RON 23.84

$4.07 R$20.95

27.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.63 RON 48.77

$8.48 R$43.66

25.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$2.40 R$12.35

-28.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.48

$1.43 R$7.35

29.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.31 R$6.76

37.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 RON 6.58

$1.61 R$8.30

-11.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$1.21 R$6.24

-33.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.90

$1.05 R$5.41

-19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 RON 5.64

$0.80 R$4.11

53.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$1.00 R$5.13

-21.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 RON 28.59

$2.39 R$12.33

160.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 RON 28.41

$8.11 R$41.77

-23.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.87

$1.29 R$6.64

-0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$2.34 R$12.05

-23.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 RON 4.42

$1.04 R$5.38

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.40 RON 144

$34.90 R$180

-10.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$1.03 R$5.29

-19.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 RON 5.10

$0.92 R$4.75

20.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.92 RON 50.1

$6.35 R$32.71

71.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.29 R$6.67

49.61%

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

$29.1K RON 133.4K

$23.3K R$120.2K

24.64%

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

$25.5K RON 117.1K

$32.6K R$167.8K

-21.66%

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

$128 RON 589

$95.0 R$489

35.22%

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

$8.51 RON 39.04

$12.28 R$63.3

-30.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.51 RON 34.44

$22.41 R$115

-66.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 RON 161

$31.39 R$162

11.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.39 RON 149

$26.96 R$139

20.14%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 RON 24.57

$7.85 R$40.43

-31.72%

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

$166 RON 761

$811 R$4,177

-79.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,058 RON 18.6K

$16.5K R$85.1K

-75.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.72 RON 205

$51.8 R$267

-13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.76 RON 104

$43.78 R$226

-48.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 RON 339

$83.1 R$428

-11.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 RON 354

$85.6 R$441

-9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 RON 1,598

$480 R$2,474

-27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 RON 1,091

$262 R$1,348

-9.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 RON 2,499

$1,110 R$5,718

-50.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 RON 1,953

$556 R$2,865

-23.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,464 RON 6,716

$2,497 R$12.9K

-41.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 RON 5,054

$1,707 R$8,794

-35.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$981 RON 4,499

$809 R$4,169

21.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.35

12.12

-39.36%

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

Last update for Arad: September 15, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $348 in Arad versus $480 in Brasilia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Arad, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Arad versus $38.00 in Brasilia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $210 – making Arad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arad vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia costs about 8% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,352 per month in Arad and $1,461 in Brasilia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Arad and $38.00 in Brasilia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $901 in Arad and $974 in Brasilia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $901, than in Brasilia at $974. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brasilia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $901 versus $974 in Brasilia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brasilia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.