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: $863 in Brasilia versus $778 in Castanhal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,240 in Castanhal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,701 in Castanhal.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 11% more expensive than in Castanhal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Castanhal 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.67

$5.34 R$27.12

38.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$198

$26.67 R$135

46.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.14

$6.12 R$31.08

0.33%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.75

$1.81 R$9.17

6.08%

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

$1.18 R$5.97

$1.12 R$5.67

5.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.67 R$3.38

23.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.04

$1.83 R$9.29

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$16.91

$2.71 R$13.76

22.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.83

$0.93 R$4.73

2.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.27

$1.51 R$7.64

7.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$1.13 R$5.72

29.20%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.56

$1.96 R$9.95

6.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$47.71

$8.09 R$41.08

16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.20

$3.72 R$18.87

-8.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.05

$7.37 R$37.38

-8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.09 R$10.59

-7.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.93

$1.26 R$6.39

7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$1.16 R$5.86

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.49

$1.51 R$7.67

10.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.16 R$5.88

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.10 R$5.59

19.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.73

$0.69 R$3.51

5.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.66 R$3.36

1.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.03

$2.07 R$10.50

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.91

$8.83 R$44.80

-8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.60

$1.27 R$6.43

-13.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.59

$2.02 R$10.23

12.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$0.92 R$4.66

5.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$220

$38.12 R$193

13.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.82

$1.06 R$5.40

-10.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.72 R$3.63

9.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.59

$6.23 R$31.60

-6.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.04 R$5.29

9.62%

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

$25.2K R$127.9K

$20.9K R$106.1K

20.55%

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

$29.2K R$148.0K

$27.9K R$141.8K

4.34%

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

$71.8 R$364

$60.2 R$306

19.14%

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

$13.11 R$66.5

$13.39 R$67.9

-2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$104

$19.03 R$96.6

7.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$127

$22.86 R$116

9.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$109

$21.61 R$110

-0.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.27

$6.22 R$31.55

18.01%

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

$485 R$2,462

$275 R$1,394

76.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.1K

$6,563 R$33.3K

131.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$295

$49.37 R$251

17.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$213

$41.54 R$211

1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$344

$76.7 R$389

-11.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$326

$63.5 R$322

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,031

$310 R$1,572

29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,330

$219 R$1,110

19.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,788

$590 R$2,994

59.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,825

$425 R$2,155

31.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.5K

$1,525 R$7,737

61.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,762

$1,002 R$5,086

72.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,665

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Castanhal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $310 in Castanhal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $27.00 in Castanhal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $176 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 11% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $778 including rent). Castanhal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,295 in Brasilia and $1,167 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: $400 in Brasilia versus $310 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $778 in Castanhal – a 11% 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 11% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.