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: $862 in Brasilia versus $643 in Aracaju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $999 in Aracaju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,355 in Aracaju.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Aracaju 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.12

$4.94 R$24.70

42.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$194

$21.74 R$109

78.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.64

$5.31 R$26.60

19.02%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.80

$1.64 R$8.19

19.51%

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

$1.18 R$5.89

$1.03 R$5.14

14.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.30

$0.56 R$2.80

53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.28

$1.82 R$9.10

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$15.89

$2.63 R$13.17

20.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.98

$1.01 R$5.08

-1.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$7.99

$1.26 R$6.31

26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.06

$1.02 R$5.12

38.24%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.19

$1.55 R$7.75

31.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.31

$6.54 R$32.72

44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.01

$3.41 R$17.07

-0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.21

$6.32 R$31.63

11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.82

$1.62 R$8.09

20.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.02

$1.09 R$5.46

28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.02

$0.60 R$3.02

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.29

$0.99 R$4.96

67.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.20

$0.92 R$4.62

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.53

$0.83 R$4.13

57.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.50 R$2.50

62.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.15

$0.60 R$3.02

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.66

$2.00 R$9.99

6.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.16

$5.79 R$28.99

55.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.53

$1.31 R$6.55

-16.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.95

$1.85 R$9.28

29.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.15

$0.79 R$3.96

30.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$222

$37.78 R$189

17.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.72

$1.05 R$5.24

-10.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.03

$1.10 R$5.50

-26.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$27.88

$6.25 R$31.27

-10.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.61

$1.04 R$5.19

7.69%

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

$25.0K R$125.2K

$17.8K R$89.3K

40.20%

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

$29.1K R$145.7K

$26.6K R$133.2K

9.40%

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

$72.2 R$361

$65.9 R$330

9.59%

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

$13.08 R$65.5

$13.94 R$69.8

-6.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$102

$15.74 R$78.8

29.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$125

$18.70 R$93.6

33.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$107

$24.02 R$120

-11.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.42

$5.90 R$29.54

20.00%

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

$488 R$2,444

$164 R$820

198.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.0K

$4,851 R$24.3K

208.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$292

$52.4 R$262

11.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$210

$30.07 R$151

39.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$349

-0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$327

$79.3 R$397

-17.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,040

$178 R$892

128.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,302

$117 R$586

122.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,747

$601 R$3,007

57.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,811

$212 R$1,060

165.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.7K

$1,311 R$6,562

93.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,576

$901 R$4,511

90.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,235

$454 R$2,270

86.54%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Aracaju: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $178 in Aracaju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 87% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $22.00 in Aracaju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 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 ($862 vs $643 including rent). Aracaju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 87% more on average, 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $178 in Aracaju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $488 in Brasilia versus $164 in Aracaju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% 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.