Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Americana Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Americana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $848 in Americana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,363 in Americana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,878 in Americana.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 15% more expensive than in Americana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Americana 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$5.92 R$30.48

47.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$22.96 R$118

66.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$7.66 R$39.46

6.01%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$1.94 R$9.98

32.47%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.86 R$9.57

-22.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$1.27 R$6.52

-23.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$1.44 R$7.43

60.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$2.34 R$12.08

61.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.05 R$5.40

1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$1.63 R$8.40

28.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.22 R$6.28

8.20%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$2.21 R$11.40

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$9.42 R$48.51

24.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$4.05 R$20.84

0.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$8.20 R$42.27

3.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.17 R$11.20

10.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$1.28 R$6.62

11.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.16 R$5.96

12.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.43 R$7.34

12.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$1.16 R$6.00

4.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$1.10 R$5.66

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.81 R$4.18

-1.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.81 R$4.16

23.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$2.19 R$11.30

9.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$8.89 R$45.82

-8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.20 R$6.20

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$1.99 R$10.27

17.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$0.99 R$5.12

5.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$42.98 R$221

-18.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.32 R$6.81

-21.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$0.87 R$4.49

5.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$8.02 R$41.33

-20.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.18 R$6.06

9.32%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$23.5K R$121.0K

-0.65%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$32.3K R$166.3K

0.91%

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

$95.0 R$489

$53.0 R$273

79.14%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$12.08 R$62.3

1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$21.74 R$112

3.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$18.73 R$96.5

67.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$26.58 R$137

1.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$6.74 R$34.71

16.47%

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

$811 R$4,177

$297 R$1,528

173.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$7,227 R$37.2K

128.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$53.8 R$277

-3.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$64.4 R$332

-31.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$107 R$553

-22.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$84.4 R$435

1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$335 R$1,728

43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$235 R$1,210

11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$649 R$3,344

71.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$453 R$2,332

22.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$1,588 R$8,181

57.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,141 R$5,876

49.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$743 R$3,828

8.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.06

9.58%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Americana: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $335 in Americana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 9% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $23.00 in Americana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $190 per month, with Americana cheaper across the board.

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 Americana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Americana wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Brasilia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Americana the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 9% 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $335 in Americana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Americana runs roughly 23% less than in Brasilia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $811 in Brasilia versus $297 in Americana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $848 in Americana versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Americana but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Americana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Americana delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $848 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Americana hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Americana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.