Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Caruaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Caruaru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $577 in Caruaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $952 in Caruaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,326 in Caruaru.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 51% more expensive than Caruaru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Caruaru 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$4.50 R$22.37

59.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$27.38 R$136

45.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$6.37 R$31.64

1.41%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.60 R$7.95

20.62%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$0.92 R$4.58

31.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.35 R$1.72

134.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.06 R$5.25

70.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$1.45 R$7.23

128.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.15 R$5.74

-12.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$0.98 R$4.87

65.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$0.93 R$4.61

54.84%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.48 R$12.31

-15.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$3.57 R$17.75

152.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$2.63 R$13.07

26.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$6.21 R$30.85

7.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$1.29 R$6.40

55.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$0.85 R$4.23

60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$0.77 R$3.85

50.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$0.99 R$4.91

63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$0.77 R$3.85

61.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$0.88 R$4.36

46.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.38 R$1.87

94.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.57 R$2.81

8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.68 R$13.31

-21.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$2.94 R$14.63

240.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.45 R$7.20

-26.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$2.99 R$14.85

-21.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.82 R$4.08

15.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$24.56 R$122

76.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$1.82 R$9.06

-45.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.63 R$3.11

20.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$2.69 R$13.38

111.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$0.78 R$3.87

44.87%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$19.2K R$95.6K

32.18%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$28.4K R$141.1K

2.43%

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

$71.6 R$356

$51.7 R$257

38.56%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$7.08 R$35.18

89.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$8.95 R$44.50

129.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$13.43 R$66.8

88.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$27.26 R$135

-19.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$6.37 R$31.65

12.09%

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

$483 R$2,402

$98.8 R$491

389.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,275 R$31.2K

144.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$36.26 R$180

61.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$45.22 R$225

-8.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$110 R$548

-38.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$58.5 R$291

11.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$149 R$741

172.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$118 R$585

115.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$319 R$1,583

202.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$230 R$1,142

143.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,725 R$8,573

55.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,192 R$5,926

50.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

$268 R$1,330

184.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

18.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Last update for Caruaru: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $149 in Caruaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 184% 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 in Brasilia vs $27 in Caruaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $129 per month, with Caruaru 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 Caruaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Caruaru differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $577 including rent). Caruaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 184% 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: $407 in Brasilia versus $149 in Caruaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Caruaru – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Brasilia versus $577 in Caruaru – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Caruaru 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 Caruaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.