Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Arad Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Arad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $974 per month in Brasilia vs $901 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Brasilia vs $1,432 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,201 per month in Brasilia vs $1,962 in Arad, rent included.

Brasilia costs about 8% more than Arad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Brasilia and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Brasilia 29% lower, Arad 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$8.59 RON 39.41

1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$34.02 RON 156

12.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$7.80 RON 35.79

4.10%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$2.66 RON 12.21

-3.38%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.50 RON 6.87

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$1.68 RON 7.70

-42.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$2.22 RON 10.19

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$2.67 RON 12.27

41.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.18 RON 5.44

-9.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$1.29 RON 5.91

62.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.82 RON 8.35

-27.47%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$2.78 RON 12.77

-12.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$7.36 RON 33.75

59.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$5.20 RON 23.84

-21.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$10.63 RON 48.77

-20.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$1.72 RON 7.88

39.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$1.85 RON 8.48

-22.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.80 RON 8.24

-27.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.43 RON 6.58

12.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$0.80 RON 3.65

51.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$0.85 RON 3.90

23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$1.23 RON 5.64

-34.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.79 RON 3.60

26.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$6.23 RON 28.59

-61.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$6.19 RON 28.41

31.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.28 RON 5.87

0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$1.78 RON 8.14

31.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$0.96 RON 4.42

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$31.40 RON 144

11.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$0.83 RON 3.81

24.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$1.11 RON 5.10

-17.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$10.92 RON 50.1

-41.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.93 RON 8.86

-33.16%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$29.1K RON 133.4K

-19.77%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$25.5K RON 117.1K

27.66%

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

$95.0 R$489

$128 RON 589

-26.05%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$8.51 RON 39.04

44.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$7.51 RON 34.44

198.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$35.03 RON 161

-10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$32.39 RON 149

-16.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$5.36 RON 24.57

46.46%

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

$811 R$4,177

$166 RON 761

388.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$4,058 RON 18.6K

307.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$44.72 RON 205

15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$22.76 RON 104

92.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$73.8 RON 339

12.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$77.1 RON 354

11.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$348 RON 1,598

37.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$238 RON 1,091

9.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$545 RON 2,499

103.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$426 RON 1,953

30.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$1,464 RON 6,716

70.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,102 RON 5,054

54.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$981 RON 4,499

-17.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

7.35

64.90%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Arad: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $480 in Brasilia versus $348 in Arad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Arad, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Brasilia versus $34.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $198 – making Arad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia costs about 8% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,461 per month in Brasilia and $1,352 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Brasilia and $34.00 in Arad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $974 in Brasilia and $901 in Arad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $901, than in Brasilia at $974. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brasilia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $901 versus $974 in Brasilia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brasilia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.