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: $862 in Brasilia versus $772 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,253 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,734 in Belem.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 12% more expensive than Belem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Belem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.50

$4.43 R$22.39

58.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$197

$28.57 R$145

36.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.99

$6.16 R$31.15

2.60%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.91

$1.59 R$8.07

23.27%

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

$1.18 R$5.96

$0.93 R$4.71

26.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.44 R$2.20

95.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.38

$1.60 R$8.12

15.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.07

$3.70 R$18.74

-14.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.03

$1.16 R$5.86

-14.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.08

$2.10 R$10.63

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$1.23 R$6.24

14.63%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.30

$2.02 R$10.21

0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.83

$10.65 R$53.9

-11.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.19

$3.88 R$19.61

-12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.60

$6.50 R$32.88

8.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.92

$1.69 R$8.55

15.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.66 R$8.40

-15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.08

$1.23 R$6.25

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.38

$1.45 R$7.35

14.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.27

$0.92 R$4.66

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.60

$0.56 R$2.84

133.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.08

$1.03 R$5.22

-21.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.19

$1.34 R$6.78

-52.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.78

$2.38 R$12.04

-10.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.65

$9.65 R$48.83

-6.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.59

$1.36 R$6.88

-19.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.08

$4.43 R$22.42

-46.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.21

$0.69 R$3.48

49.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$225

$21.60 R$109

105.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.77

$1.05 R$5.30

-10.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.07

$0.72 R$3.62

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$28.19

$9.12 R$46.14

-38.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.08 R$5.46

3.70%

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

$25.0K R$126.5K

$16.2K R$81.7K

54.82%

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

$29.1K R$147.3K

$28.9K R$146.3K

0.70%

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

$72.2 R$365

$110 R$557

-34.43%

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

$13.08 R$66.2

$14.40 R$72.8

-9.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$103

$21.23 R$107

-3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$126

$20.77 R$105

20.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$108

$21.71 R$110

-1.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.81

$6.32 R$31.99

12.03%

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

$488 R$2,471

$97.4 R$493

401.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.8K

$3,133 R$15.9K

378.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$295

$32.96 R$167

76.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$212

$28.72 R$145

46.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$353

$75.0 R$379

-6.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$330

$41.69 R$211

56.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,062

$442 R$2,237

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,317

$185 R$938

40.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,799

$815 R$4,123

16.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,842

$457 R$2,314

22.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.9K

$1,996 R$10.1K

27.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,671

$1,420 R$7,186

20.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,281

$392 R$1,982

115.97%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $442 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 116% 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 $29.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $206, 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Brasilia pays 116% 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 $442 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 $488 in Brasilia versus $97.4 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 12% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.