Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cabo Frio Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cabo Frio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $659 in Cabo Frio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,083 in Cabo Frio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,507 in Cabo Frio.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 48% more expensive than in Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Cabo Frio 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$5.68 R$29.20

53.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$28.69 R$148

32.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$6.66 R$34.27

21.92%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$1.65 R$8.50

55.76%

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$1.33 R$6.86

8.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.51 R$2.60

90.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$1.20 R$6.16

92.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$1.92 R$9.89

96.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$0.80 R$4.10

33.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.53 R$7.89

36.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$0.75 R$3.84

76.00%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$1.54 R$7.89

58.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$7.97 R$40.97

46.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$3.30 R$16.95

23.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$9.26 R$47.62

-8.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$1.84 R$9.46

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$1.15 R$5.93

24.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$0.94 R$4.84

39.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.19 R$6.11

35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$0.63 R$3.23

92.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$0.82 R$4.22

28.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.56 R$2.90

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.60 R$3.08

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$1.55 R$7.95

54.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$5.79 R$29.75

40.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$0.99 R$5.10

30.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$1.34 R$6.90

74.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$1.34 R$6.88

-22.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$78.2 R$402

-55.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.27 R$6.55

-18.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.74 R$3.79

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$7.70 R$39.57

-17.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.20 R$6.19

7.50%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$20.6K R$106.0K

13.22%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$30.0K R$154.2K

8.62%

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

$95.0 R$488

$57.8 R$297

64.30%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$7.45 R$38.28

64.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$13.16 R$67.7

70.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$21.06 R$108

49.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$4.60 R$23.65

70.65%

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

$811 R$4,169

$141 R$722

477.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$2,574 R$13.2K

541.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$45.23 R$233

14.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$38.66 R$199

13.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$54.4 R$280

52.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$45.85 R$236

86.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$430 R$2,211

11.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$115 R$591

127.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$649 R$3,337

71.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$272 R$1,398

104.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

$276 R$1,418

193.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

10.67

13.59%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $430 in Cabo Frio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 193% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $29.00 in Cabo Frio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $159 per month, with Cabo Frio 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 Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Cabo Frio differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $659 including rent). Cabo Frio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 193% 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $430 in Cabo Frio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cabo Frio – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $659 in Cabo Frio – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $659 in Cabo Frio versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cabo Frio but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Cabo Frio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Cabo Frio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.