Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Bauru Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Bauru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $652 in Bauru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,048 in Bauru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,443 in Bauru.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 33% more expensive than in Bauru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Bauru 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.45

$4.91 R$25.09

49.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$205

$21.68 R$111

84.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.57

$6.21 R$31.76

2.58%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.59

$1.39 R$7.09

35.25%

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

$1.18 R$6.03

$0.89 R$4.57

32.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.40

$0.52 R$2.65

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.37

$1.40 R$7.14

30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.88

$2.41 R$12.30

36.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.89 R$4.53

12.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.22

$1.35 R$6.92

19.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.23

$1.13 R$5.78

24.78%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.81

$2.40 R$12.27

-11.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.58

$6.44 R$32.92

47.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.82

$3.85 R$19.70

-14.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.37

$5.19 R$26.51

33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.34

$1.87 R$9.57

8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.13

$1.38 R$7.07

1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.87

$1.06 R$5.41

8.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.19

$1.72 R$8.78

-6.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.34 R$6.86

-8.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$1.18 R$6.04

9.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.94 R$4.82

-21.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.34

$0.63 R$3.21

3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.22

$1.81 R$9.26

21.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.68

$6.61 R$33.76

20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.05 R$5.37

2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.53

$1.52 R$7.78

48.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.99

$0.89 R$4.54

10.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$226

$26.89 R$137

64.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.87

$0.74 R$3.77

28.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$0.58 R$2.98

36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.51

$4.39 R$22.42

31.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.73

$0.98 R$5.00

14.29%

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

$24.7K R$126.4K

$21.8K R$111.6K

13.22%

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

$29.3K R$149.8K

$28.2K R$144.3K

3.83%

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

$71.2 R$364

$52.3 R$267

36.25%

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

$13.29 R$67.9

$11.53 R$58.9

15.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$19.87 R$102

4.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$20.00 R$102

27.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$111

$20.09 R$103

7.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.11

$3.83 R$19.57

84.60%

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

$480 R$2,453

$284 R$1,453

68.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$78.0K

$5,381 R$27.5K

183.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$294

$46.57 R$238

23.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$209

$45.12 R$231

-9.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$347

$74.9 R$383

-9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$328

$67.0 R$342

-4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,089

$229 R$1,171

78.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,309

$145 R$739

77.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,935

$440 R$2,250

119.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,830

$334 R$1,705

66.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.8K

$1,533 R$7,836

63.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,593

$682 R$3,485

146.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,794

$373 R$1,905

151.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

9.59

23.77%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bauru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $229 in Bauru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 152% 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 Bauru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $160 per month, with Bauru 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 Bauru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bauru wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Brasilia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bauru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 152% 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 $229 in Bauru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bauru – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $652 in Bauru – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bauru gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bauru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $652 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bauru hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bauru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.