Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Aracaju Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Aracaju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $645 in Aracaju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,002 in Aracaju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,359 in Aracaju.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 34% more expensive than in Aracaju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Aracaju 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.45

$4.97 R$25.41

47.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$205

$21.83 R$112

83.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.57

$5.29 R$27.05

20.42%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.59

$1.61 R$8.23

16.77%

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

$1.18 R$6.03

$0.97 R$4.94

21.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.40

$0.55 R$2.83

56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.37

$1.84 R$9.41

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.88

$2.59 R$13.25

27.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.95 R$4.84

5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.22

$1.30 R$6.67

23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.23

$1.04 R$5.30

35.58%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.81

$1.51 R$7.71

40.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.58

$6.79 R$34.70

40.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.82

$3.39 R$17.35

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.37

$6.35 R$32.45

8.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.34

$1.64 R$8.39

23.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.13

$1.14 R$5.80

22.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.87

$0.65 R$3.34

76.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.19

$0.98 R$5.00

63.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$0.89 R$4.52

38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$0.88 R$4.50

46.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.46 R$2.34

60.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.34

$0.56 R$2.87

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.22

$2.01 R$10.27

9.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.68

$5.67 R$28.96

40.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.32 R$6.77

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.53

$1.89 R$9.68

19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.99

$0.79 R$4.04

24.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$226

$38.12 R$195

15.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.87

$1.09 R$5.58

-12.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$1.09 R$5.57

-27.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.51

$6.17 R$31.54

-6.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.73

$1.04 R$5.30

7.69%

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

$24.7K R$126.4K

$18.4K R$93.8K

34.75%

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

$29.3K R$149.8K

$26.3K R$134.5K

11.35%

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

$71.2 R$364

$68.3 R$349

4.34%

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

$13.29 R$67.9

$14.32 R$73.2

-7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$15.84 R$80.9

31.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$18.83 R$96.2

35.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$111

$24.19 R$124

-10.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.11

$5.82 R$29.74

21.48%

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

$480 R$2,453

$169 R$863

184.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$78.0K

$4,901 R$25.0K

211.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$294

$51.4 R$263

12.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$209

$30.09 R$154

35.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$347

$68.9 R$352

-1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$328

$79.4 R$406

-19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,089

$179 R$913

128.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,309

$116 R$592

121.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,935

$598 R$3,056

61.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,830

$211 R$1,077

162.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.8K

$1,268 R$6,478

97.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,593

$867 R$4,432

93.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,794

$452 R$2,310

107.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.35

14.69%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aracaju: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $179 in Aracaju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 108% 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 $22.00 in Aracaju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $146 per month, with Aracaju 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 Aracaju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Aracaju differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $645 including rent). Aracaju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 108% 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: $409 in Brasilia versus $179 in Aracaju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $480 in Brasilia versus $169 in Aracaju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Brasilia. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

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 Aracaju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.