Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Castanhal Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Castanhal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $768 in Castanhal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,219 in Castanhal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,671 in Castanhal.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 13% more expensive than Castanhal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Castanhal 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$5.46 R$27.14

31.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$26.84 R$133

48.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$6.14 R$30.50

5.21%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.73 R$8.60

11.56%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.08 R$5.34

12.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.65 R$3.24

26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.76 R$8.76

2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.66 R$13.23

24.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$0.92 R$4.59

9.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.44 R$7.14

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.13 R$5.59

27.43%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$1.95 R$9.67

7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.32 R$41.35

8.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$3.54 R$17.61

-5.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$7.10 R$35.26

-6.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.04 R$10.16

-1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.26 R$6.25

7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.19 R$5.92

-2.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.44 R$7.16

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.15 R$5.72

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.11 R$5.52

16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.69 R$3.42

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.63 R$3.12

-1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.11 R$10.51

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$8.53 R$42.42

17.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.28 R$6.34

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$2.06 R$10.23

14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.88 R$4.38

7.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.11 R$189

14.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$1.06 R$5.24

-5.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.71 R$3.51

7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$6.35 R$31.56

-10.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.07 R$5.32

5.61%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$21.1K R$104.9K

20.51%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$27.6K R$137.3K

5.24%

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

$71.6 R$356

$60.7 R$301

18.07%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$13.59 R$67.6

-1.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$19.07 R$94.8

7.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.46 R$112

12.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.19 R$105

3.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$6.14 R$30.50

16.29%

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

$483 R$2,402

$266 R$1,322

81.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,577 R$32.7K

132.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$48.69 R$242

20.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$42.48 R$211

-2.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$74.4 R$370

-8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$64.2 R$319

1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$314 R$1,561

29.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$213 R$1,060

19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$591 R$2,936

63.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$435 R$2,161

28.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,632 R$8,111

64.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,278 R$6,353

40.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.92

8.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Last update for Castanhal: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $314 in Castanhal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Brasilia vs $27 in Castanhal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $173 per month, with Castanhal 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 Castanhal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Castanhal differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $768 including rent). Castanhal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,306 in Brasilia and $1,152 in Castanhal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $407 in Brasilia versus $314 in Castanhal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Castanhal – 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 $768 in Castanhal – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Castanhal 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 Castanhal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.