Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $772 in Belem versus $862 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Belem versus $1,428 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,734 in Belem versus $1,993 in Brasilia.

Living in Belem costs roughly 10% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 42% lower, Brasilia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.39

$7.02 R$35.50

-36.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.57 R$145

$38.86 R$197

-26.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 R$31.15

$6.32 R$31.99

-2.53%

Cappuccino

$1.59 R$8.07

$1.96 R$9.91

-18.88%

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

$0.93 R$4.71

$1.18 R$5.96

-21.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 R$2.20

$0.86 R$4.35

-48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 R$8.12

$1.85 R$9.38

-13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.74

$3.18 R$16.07

16.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.86

$0.99 R$5.03

17.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 R$10.63

$1.60 R$8.08

31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.41 R$7.14

-12.77%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.21

$2.04 R$10.30

-0.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 R$53.9

$9.45 R$47.83

12.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 R$19.61

$3.40 R$17.19

14.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 R$32.88

$7.04 R$35.60

-7.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R$8.55

$1.96 R$9.92

-13.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.40

$1.40 R$7.10

18.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.20 R$6.08

2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.35

$1.66 R$8.38

-12.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.24 R$6.27

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 R$2.84

$1.31 R$6.60

-57.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R$5.22

$0.81 R$4.08

27.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R$6.78

$0.63 R$3.19

112.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 R$12.04

$2.13 R$10.78

11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 R$48.83

$9.02 R$45.65

6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.88

$1.10 R$5.59

23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 R$22.42

$2.39 R$12.08

85.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 R$3.48

$1.03 R$5.21

-33.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.60 R$109

$44.41 R$225

-51.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.30

$0.94 R$4.77

11.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.62

$0.81 R$4.07

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 R$46.14

$5.57 R$28.19

63.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.46

$1.12 R$5.68

-3.57%

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

$16.2K R$81.7K

$25.0K R$126.5K

-35.41%

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

$28.9K R$146.3K

$29.1K R$147.3K

-0.70%

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

$110 R$557

$72.2 R$365

52.50%

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

$14.40 R$72.8

$13.08 R$66.2

10.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.23 R$107

$20.40 R$103

4.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.77 R$105

$24.97 R$126

-16.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 R$110

$21.29 R$108

1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 R$31.99

$7.08 R$35.81

-10.73%

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

$97.4 R$493

$488 R$2,471

-80.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,133 R$15.9K

$15.0K R$75.8K

-79.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.96 R$167

$58.3 R$295

-43.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.72 R$145

$41.97 R$212

-31.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 R$379

$69.8 R$353

7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.69 R$211

$65.2 R$330

-36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R$2,237

$408 R$2,062

8.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 R$938

$260 R$1,317

-28.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 R$4,123

$949 R$4,799

-14.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 R$2,314

$562 R$2,842

-18.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,996 R$10.1K

$2,540 R$12.9K

-21.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,420 R$7,186

$1,714 R$8,671

-17.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 R$1,982

$846 R$4,281

-53.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.2

11.87

2.78%

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

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Belem and $408 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 116% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Belem vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $183, 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

Belem vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Brasilia earns 116% less. 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: $442 in Belem versus $408 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 106% less than in Brasilia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $97.4 in Belem versus $488 in Brasilia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Belem gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Belem is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brasilia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.