Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Caraguatatuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Caraguatatuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $821 in Caraguatatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,320 in Caraguatatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,819 in Caraguatatuba.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 19% more expensive than in Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Caraguatatuba 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$7.31 R$37.69

19.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$28.18 R$145

35.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$8.09 R$41.69

0.37%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$2.23 R$11.50

15.25%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.18 R$6.10

22.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.92 R$4.72

5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$2.38 R$12.24

-2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$3.14 R$16.18

20.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$0.97 R$5.01

10.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$1.51 R$7.78

38.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.31 R$6.75

0.76%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$1.92 R$9.87

27.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$5.89 R$30.34

98.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$3.09 R$15.91

31.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$7.64 R$39.34

10.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.08 R$10.70

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$1.76 R$9.08

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.42 R$7.34

-7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.51 R$7.76

6.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$1.28 R$6.61

-5.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$0.75 R$3.88

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.66 R$3.39

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.76 R$3.93

31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$2.03 R$10.46

17.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$6.62 R$34.11

22.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.47 R$7.57

-12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$2.43 R$12.50

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$0.95 R$4.91

9.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$22.80 R$117

53.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.11 R$5.70

-7.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$0.69 R$3.56

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$3.48 R$17.90

82.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.27 R$6.55

1.57%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$14.9K R$76.8K

56.52%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$29.0K R$149.6K

12.19%

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

$95.0 R$489

$64.5 R$332

47.32%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$12.90 R$66.5

-4.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$22.19 R$114

0.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$20.94 R$108

49.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$15.33 R$79.0

75.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$7.94 R$40.90

-1.13%

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

$811 R$4,177

$212 R$1,094

281.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$4,066 R$20.9K

306.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$54.2 R$279

-4.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$55.4 R$285

-20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$74.6 R$384

11.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$57.5 R$296

48.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$415 R$2,140

15.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$226 R$1,165

15.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$855 R$4,403

29.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$520 R$2,680

6.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$1,622 R$8,355

54.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,130 R$5,822

51.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$333 R$1,715

143.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

8.15

48.71%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Caraguatatuba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $415 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 143% 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 $28.00 in Caraguatatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $171 per month, with Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Caraguatatuba differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $821 including rent). Caraguatatuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 143% 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 $415 in Caraguatatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $28.00 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 $821 in Caraguatatuba – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $821 in Caraguatatuba versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.