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: $880 in Brasilia versus $825 in Cabo Frio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Brasilia versus $1,305 in Cabo Frio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Brasilia versus $1,784 in Cabo Frio.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 7% more expensive than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 34% lower, Cabo Frio 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 R$35.88

$7.28 R$36.34

-1.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 R$198

$28.95 R$144

37.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.13

$6.11 R$30.51

2.13%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.37

$1.95 R$9.73

-3.59%

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

$1.16 R$5.81

$1.32 R$6.57

-12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.37

$0.57 R$2.83

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 R$16.38

$2.78 R$13.88

17.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.64

$1.13 R$5.62

-17.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.09

$1.76 R$8.79

-7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.02

$1.42 R$7.10

-0.70%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.47

$1.96 R$9.80

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 R$46.36

$7.79 R$38.87

19.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 R$16.51

$3.63 R$18.11

-8.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R$34.19

$7.91 R$39.48

-13.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 R$9.98

$2.30 R$11.45

-13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.70

$1.63 R$8.12

-17.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.06

$1.51 R$7.55

-19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.34

$1.56 R$7.79

7.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.12

$1.29 R$6.43

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.49

$1.16 R$5.80

12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.71

$0.68 R$3.40

8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.07

$0.56 R$2.81

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.88

$1.96 R$9.77

11.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 R$50.4

$7.98 R$39.81

26.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.55

$1.21 R$6.04

-8.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R$11.74

$2.05 R$10.23

14.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.12

$1.13 R$5.63

-8.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 R$218

$38.22 R$191

14.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.71

$1.12 R$5.59

-16.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$3.94

$0.69 R$3.45

14.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 R$29.03

$7.39 R$36.88

-21.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.67

$1.12 R$5.56

1.79%

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

$25.4K R$126.6K

$20.2K R$101.0K

25.35%

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

$28.2K R$140.9K

$27.1K R$135.4K

4.07%

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

$69.9 R$349

$101 R$505

-30.94%

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

$13.04 R$65.1

$12.15 R$60.6

7.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.00 R$99.8

$18.81 R$93.9

6.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$124

$22.65 R$113

10.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.77 R$109

$21.66 R$108

0.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 R$34.91

$6.62 R$33.04

5.74%

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

$488 R$2,435

$546 R$2,727

-10.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$74.6K

$11.6K R$57.8K

29.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$290

$44.47 R$222

30.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 R$209

$40.94 R$204

2.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 R$345

$76.9 R$383

-10.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 R$320

$62.0 R$310

3.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 R$2,007

$318 R$1,588

26.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,312

$220 R$1,096

19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 R$4,881

$583 R$2,907

67.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,813

$421 R$2,103

33.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,751 R$13.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 R$9,060

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 R$3,801

$280 R$1,398

171.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.33

4.77%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Brasilia and $318 in Cabo Frio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 172% 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 Cabo Frio. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $185, 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 Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Cabo Frio differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $825 including rent). Cabo Frio is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 172% 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: $402 in Brasilia versus $318 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 $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $880 per month in Brasilia versus $825 in Cabo Frio – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

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 7% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.