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: $974 in Brasilia versus $858 in Castanhal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,351 in Castanhal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,844 in Castanhal.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 14% more expensive than in Castanhal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Castanhal 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$5.75 R$29.60

51.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$35.32 R$182

7.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$7.17 R$36.96

13.25%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$1.90 R$9.77

35.26%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.34 R$6.92

7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.79 R$4.09

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$1.98 R$10.21

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$2.83 R$14.60

33.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.06 R$5.48

0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$1.70 R$8.76

22.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.27 R$6.54

3.94%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$2.09 R$10.78

16.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$8.57 R$44.17

36.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$4.27 R$21.97

-4.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$8.12 R$41.85

4.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.37 R$12.22

1.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$1.34 R$6.90

6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.20 R$6.18

9.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.74 R$8.95

-7.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$1.09 R$5.61

11.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$1.22 R$6.29

-13.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.76 R$3.94

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.75 R$3.89

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$2.32 R$11.96

3.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$8.78 R$45.21

-7.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.15 R$5.94

12.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$1.87 R$9.64

25.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$1.01 R$5.22

2.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$47.51 R$245

-26.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.29 R$6.63

-20.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$0.81 R$4.16

13.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$7.61 R$39.20

-16.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.30 R$6.69

-0.77%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$20.4K R$105.0K

14.48%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$34.3K R$176.8K

-5.06%

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

$95.0 R$489

$66.7 R$344

42.40%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$11.49 R$59.2

6.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$23.06 R$119

-2.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$25.09 R$129

25.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$29.80 R$154

-9.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$6.94 R$35.76

13.11%

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

$811 R$4,177

$318 R$1,637

155.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$8,060 R$41.5K

104.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$52.8 R$272

-1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$48.29 R$249

-9.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$92.3 R$476

-10.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$71.5 R$368

19.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$332 R$1,709

44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$211 R$1,089

23.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$716 R$3,690

54.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$400 R$2,060

39.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$1,553 R$8,000

60.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,116 R$5,752

52.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.06

9.58%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Castanhal: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $332 in Castanhal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $35.00 in Castanhal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $191 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 14% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $858 including rent). Castanhal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,461 in Brasilia and $1,286 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $332 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 $35.00 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 $858 in Castanhal – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $858 in Castanhal versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Castanhal but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Castanhal 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 Castanhal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.