Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Alba Iulia Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Alba Iulia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $941 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,435 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,928 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 8% less than in Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Alba Iulia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.45

$9.30 RON 42.44

-21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$205

$34.22 RON 156

17.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.57

$6.24 RON 28.49

2.08%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.59

$2.53 RON 11.56

-25.69%

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

$1.18 R$6.03

$1.89 RON 8.64

-37.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.40

$1.63 RON 7.44

-47.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.37

$2.17 RON 9.92

-15.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.88

$2.25 RON 10.27

46.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.10

$1.39 RON 6.35

-28.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.22

$1.26 RON 5.75

27.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.23

$1.57 RON 7.19

-10.19%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.81

$3.07 RON 13.99

-30.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.59

$8.32 RON 38.00

14.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.82

$6.58 RON 30.04

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.37

$11.68 RON 53.3

-40.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.34

$1.01 RON 4.63

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.13

$1.43 RON 6.52

-2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.87

$1.39 RON 6.35

-17.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.19

$2.44 RON 11.13

-34.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$0.84 RON 3.82

46.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$0.64 RON 2.93

101.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.87 RON 3.99

-14.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.34

$0.71 RON 3.25

-8.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.22

$5.73 RON 26.15

-61.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.68

$4.31 RON 19.66

84.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.10 RON 5.00

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.53

$1.41 RON 6.43

60.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.99

$0.78 RON 3.55

25.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$226

$17.17 RON 78.4

157.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.87

$0.76 RON 3.49

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$0.74 RON 3.40

6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.52

$5.09 RON 23.22

13.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.73

$1.52 RON 6.93

-26.32%

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

$24.7K R$126.4K

$27.7K RON 126.3K

-10.63%

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

$29.3K R$149.8K

$28.3K RON 129.3K

3.50%

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

$71.2 R$364

$138 RON 632

-48.53%

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

$13.29 R$67.9

$7.83 RON 35.75

69.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$9.00 RON 41.07

130.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$32.27 RON 147

-20.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$111

$35.05 RON 160

-38.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.11

$5.57 RON 25.44

26.93%

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

$480 R$2,453

$450 RON 2,056

6.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$78.0K

$6,467 RON 29.5K

135.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$294

$42.67 RON 195

34.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$209

$26.13 RON 119

56.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$347

$84.5 RON 386

-19.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$328

$70.2 RON 320

-8.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,089

$317 RON 1,447

28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,309

$274 RON 1,253

-6.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,935

$538 RON 2,458

79.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,830

$443 RON 2,020

25.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.8K

$1,675 RON 7,648

49.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,593

$1,415 RON 6,460

18.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,794

$944 RON 4,310

-0.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

7.7

54.16%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $317 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 1% 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: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $202, 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 Alba Iulia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Alba Iulia. 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: $409 in Brasilia versus $317 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $941 in Alba Iulia – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Brasilia runs roughly 157% less than in Alba Iulia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Brasilia gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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

Safety-wise, Brasilia and Alba Iulia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Alba Iulia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.