Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Belem Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Belem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $783 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,254 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,724 in Belem.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 11% more expensive than in Belem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Belem 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.45

$4.43 R$22.66

65.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$205

$28.89 R$148

38.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.57

$6.26 R$32.02

1.76%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.59

$1.60 R$8.16

17.50%

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

$1.18 R$6.03

$0.93 R$4.73

26.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.40

$0.47 R$2.38

82.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.37

$1.60 R$8.16

14.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.88

$3.51 R$17.93

-5.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.10

$1.15 R$5.90

-13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.22

$2.11 R$10.79

-23.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.23

$1.25 R$6.36

12.80%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.81

$1.98 R$10.11

7.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.58

$10.31 R$52.7

-7.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.82

$3.95 R$20.18

-16.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.37

$6.71 R$34.28

3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.34

$1.71 R$8.74

18.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.13

$1.73 R$8.83

-19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.87

$1.29 R$6.59

-10.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.19

$1.46 R$7.47

9.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$0.92 R$4.72

33.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$0.55 R$2.81

134.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.79

$1.03 R$5.27

-28.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.34

$1.35 R$6.88

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.22

$2.49 R$12.74

-11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.68

$9.88 R$50.5

-19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.31 R$6.70

-17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.53

$4.56 R$23.32

-50.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.99

$0.74 R$3.80

32.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$226

$21.48 R$110

105.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.87

$1.11 R$5.67

-14.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$0.74 R$3.79

6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.51

$8.84 R$45.17

-34.62%

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

$16.1K R$82.3K

53.53%

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

$29.3K R$149.8K

$29.0K R$148.0K

1.22%

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

$71.2 R$364

$111 R$568

-35.91%

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

$13.29 R$67.9

$14.53 R$74.3

-8.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$21.28 R$109

-2.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$21.25 R$109

20.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$111

$21.56 R$110

0.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.11

$6.21 R$31.76

13.85%

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

$480 R$2,453

$101 R$514

377.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$78.0K

$3,082 R$15.7K

395.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$294

$32.98 R$169

74.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$209

$28.89 R$148

41.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$347

$75.8 R$387

-10.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$328

$41.88 R$214

53.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,089

$435 R$2,225

-6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,309

$188 R$962

36.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,935

$800 R$4,091

20.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,830

$466 R$2,382

18.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.8K

$1,951 R$9,972

28.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,593

$1,369 R$6,995

22.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,794

$409 R$2,090

129.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

12.2

-2.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $435 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 129% 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 $29.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $207, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Belem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 129% 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 $435 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 106% less than in Brasilia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $480 in Brasilia versus $101 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Belem gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Belem is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brasilia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.