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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $1,087 in Abuja.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $2,038 in Abuja.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $2,990 in Abuja.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 12% less than in Abuja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$43.87

$2.19 ₦2,908

293.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$29.76 ₦39.5K

31.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.74

$4.59 ₦6,088

74.29%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.96

$3.37 ₦4,465

-24.33%

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

$1.45 R$7.39

$0.52 ₦689

178.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.91

$0.70 ₦931

37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.50

$1.06 ₦1,412

113.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.82

$2.13 ₦2,830

82.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.44

$3.61 ₦4,791

-70.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.39

$1.27 ₦1,688

60.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.41

$2.25 ₦2,984

-44.00%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.44

$1.84 ₦2,436

32.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.4

$10.96 ₦14.5K

10.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.69

$5.29 ₦7,015

-23.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$41.99

$5.78 ₦7,671

42.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.94

$1.96 ₦2,604

19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.24

$1.49 ₦1,973

-4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.48

$1.53 ₦2,033

-16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.42

$2.33 ₦3,090

-29.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.89

$1.85 ₦2,453

-37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$2.36 ₦3,125

-57.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.54 ₦722

53.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.97

$0.37 ₦485

164.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.15

$2.03 ₦2,687

17.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.70

$5.87 ₦7,785

36.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.63

$1.24 ₦1,646

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.20

$1.85 ₦2,456

29.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.66

$0.38 ₦507

142.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

$32.15 ₦42.6K

9.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.59 ₦776

77.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.81 ₦1,078

4.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.39

$1.92 ₦2,540

210.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.52

$0.54 ₦715

137.04%

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

$22.6K R$115.2K

$26.6K ₦35.2M

-14.88%

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

$32.1K R$163.5K

$17.8K ₦23.7M

79.82%

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

$91.1 R$464

$112 ₦148.5K

-18.70%

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

$12.43 R$63.3

$6.27 ₦8,318

98.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$115

$29.02 ₦38.5K

-22.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$160

$36.34 ₦48.2K

-13.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

$10.87 ₦14.4K

142.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.01

$4.83 ₦6,401

62.73%

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

$813 R$4,142

$45.61 ₦60.5K

1682.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.1K

$3,087 ₦4.1M

428.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$266

$25.48 ₦33.8K

104.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$222

$60.2 ₦79.8K

-27.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$421

$78.8 ₦104.5K

4.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$440

$106 ₦140.3K

-18.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,548

$1,374 ₦1.8M

-63.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,355

$447 ₦592.5K

-40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,770

$3,314 ₦4.4M

-65.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,861

$1,546 ₦2.1M

-63.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.3K

$690 ₦915.5K

249.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,684

$368 ₦487.5K

363.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,461

$170 ₦225.2K

415.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

22.5

-47.56%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Abuja: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $1,374 in Abuja. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 416% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $30.00 in Abuja. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $217, 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

Brasilia vs Abuja: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Abuja differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $1,087 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 416% higher in Brasilia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $500 in Brasilia versus $1,374 in Abuja. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $957 per month in Brasilia versus $1,087 in Abuja – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brasilia runs roughly 9% less than in Abuja. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $957 in Brasilia versus $1,087 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 14% less than in Abuja. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.