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: $862 in Brasilia versus $737 in Caraguatatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,204 in Caraguatatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,672 in Caraguatatuba.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 17% more expensive than Caraguatatuba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Caraguatatuba 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.12

$6.90 R$34.55

1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$194

$26.11 R$131

48.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.64

$6.62 R$33.12

-4.53%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.80

$1.75 R$8.75

12.00%

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

$1.18 R$5.89

$1.06 R$5.29

11.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.30

$0.76 R$3.81

13.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.28

$1.84 R$9.19

0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$15.89

$2.78 R$13.89

14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.98

$0.88 R$4.41

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$7.99

$1.47 R$7.34

8.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.06

$1.19 R$5.95

18.49%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.19

$1.69 R$8.45

20.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.31

$5.47 R$27.39

72.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.01

$2.98 R$14.89

14.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.21

$7.08 R$35.43

-0.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.82

$1.84 R$9.21

6.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.02

$1.66 R$8.33

-15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.02

$1.36 R$6.81

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.29

$1.72 R$8.61

-3.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.20

$1.15 R$5.77

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.53

$0.69 R$3.44

89.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.66 R$3.31

22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.15

$0.67 R$3.37

-5.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.66

$1.78 R$8.92

19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.16

$7.09 R$35.49

27.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.53

$1.37 R$6.88

-19.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.95

$2.08 R$10.41

14.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.15

$0.93 R$4.64

10.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$222

$20.52 R$103

116.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.72

$1.06 R$5.31

-11.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.62 R$3.08

30.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$27.88

$3.25 R$16.29

71.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.61

$1.06 R$5.33

5.66%

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

$25.0K R$125.2K

$13.9K R$69.6K

79.81%

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

$29.1K R$145.7K

$27.1K R$135.7K

7.33%

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

$72.2 R$361

$51.7 R$259

39.74%

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

$13.08 R$65.5

$11.52 R$57.6

13.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$102

$20.75 R$104

-1.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$125

$19.48 R$97.5

28.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$107

$14.15 R$70.8

50.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.42

$7.33 R$36.70

-3.41%

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

$488 R$2,444

$198 R$991

146.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.0K

$3,829 R$19.2K

291.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$292

$51.5 R$258

13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$210

$56.2 R$281

-25.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$349

$71.4 R$357

-2.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$327

$52.6 R$263

24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,040

$371 R$1,857

9.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,302

$207 R$1,037

25.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,747

$770 R$3,853

23.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,811

$476 R$2,383

17.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.7K

$1,575 R$7,880

61.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,576

$1,153 R$5,770

48.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,235

$330 R$1,654

156.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

8.15

45.64%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Caraguatatuba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $371 in Caraguatatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 156% 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 $26.00 in Caraguatatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $162 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 17% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $737 including rent). Caraguatatuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 156% 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 $371 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 $26.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Brasilia versus $737 in Caraguatatuba – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Caraguatatuba 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 Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.