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: $969 in Brasilia versus $651 in Caruaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Brasilia versus $1,076 in Caruaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,132 in Brasilia versus $1,501 in Caruaru.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 49% more expensive than in Caruaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Caruaru 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 R$45.76

$5.75 R$29.47

55.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 R$199

$29.70 R$152

30.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 R$43.55

$7.77 R$39.84

9.27%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.25

$1.48 R$7.61

74.32%

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

$1.41 R$7.22

$0.98 R$5.03

43.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.63 R$3.22

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$12.08

$1.61 R$8.26

46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 R$19.83

$2.39 R$12.26

61.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.53

$1.18 R$6.06

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.43

$1.05 R$5.41

93.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.34 R$6.87

-4.48%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$2.02 R$10.34

20.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 R$60.6

$4.61 R$23.62

156.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R$21.10

$4.90 R$25.14

-16.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.47

$7.27 R$37.26

16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 R$12.39

$1.40 R$7.18

72.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$0.97 R$4.98

50.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.56

$0.82 R$4.19

56.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.45

$1.14 R$5.82

44.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.54 R$7.90

-24.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.25 R$6.39

-14.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.04

$0.69 R$3.56

14.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.85

$0.82 R$4.18

15.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.29

$2.99 R$15.31

-19.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 R$42.18

$7.66 R$39.29

7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.50 R$7.69

-18.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.02

$2.32 R$11.90

0.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.92 R$4.71

8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$180

$26.28 R$135

33.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.14 R$5.87

-6.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$1.96 R$10.05

-53.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$31.00

$2.98 R$15.27

103.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.24 R$6.37

5.65%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.5K R$120.6K

-0.84%

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

$31.9K R$163.6K

$32.0K R$163.9K

-0.13%

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

$96.4 R$494

$55.3 R$283

74.50%

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

$12.61 R$64.7

$7.84 R$40.18

60.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$112

$9.98 R$51.2

118.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$159

$14.45 R$74.1

115.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$138

$29.74 R$152

-9.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.38

$7.13 R$36.57

7.71%

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

$822 R$4,214

$107 R$548

669.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$84.3K

$6,432 R$33.0K

155.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$265

$38.19 R$196

35.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.32 R$222

$49.54 R$254

-12.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 R$427

$87.3 R$448

-4.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R$443

$64.4 R$330

34.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,453

$164 R$839

192.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,322

$127 R$652

102.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 R$5,720

$342 R$1,754

226.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,856

$253 R$1,299

119.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,964

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,328

$255 R$1,305

231.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

10.18%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Caruaru: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Brasilia and $164 in Caruaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 232% 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 $30.00 in Caruaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $165 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 49% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $651 including rent). Caruaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 232% 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: $479 in Brasilia versus $164 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 $30.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Brasilia versus $651 in Caruaru – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $651 in Caruaru versus $969 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Caruaru but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Caruaru 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 Caruaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.