Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cerquilho Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cerquilho

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Brasilia versus $718 in Cerquilho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,181 in Cerquilho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,643 in Cerquilho.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 20% more expensive than in Cerquilho, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Cerquilho 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.99

$6.16 R$31.51

20.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$199

$28.94 R$148

34.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.40

$7.20 R$36.83

-14.72%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.83

$1.82 R$9.34

5.49%

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

$1.18 R$6.02

$1.33 R$6.80

-11.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.85 R$4.37

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.12

$1.07 R$5.47

66.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$17.06

$2.64 R$13.51

26.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.87

$1.14 R$5.83

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.34

$1.42 R$7.25

14.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.48

$1.26 R$6.45

15.87%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.65

$2.33 R$11.91

-10.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$48.12

$7.97 R$40.78

17.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.34

$1.85 R$9.49

83.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.34

$5.25 R$26.86

27.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.86

$1.77 R$9.05

9.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.98

$1.74 R$8.89

-21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.06 R$5.41

9.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.56

$1.59 R$8.14

5.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.36

$1.23 R$6.28

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.68

$0.56 R$2.89

133.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.76

$0.74 R$3.81

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.42

$0.56 R$2.87

19.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.13

$1.24 R$6.34

75.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$41.26

$8.52 R$43.61

-5.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.65

$1.05 R$5.36

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.68

$2.75 R$14.06

-17.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.93 R$4.78

4.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$222

$38.89 R$199

11.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.86

$0.92 R$4.69

3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$1.02 R$5.24

-22.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.84

$8.48 R$43.41

-31.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.83

$1.01 R$5.19

12.87%

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

$25.2K R$129.0K

$22.6K R$115.4K

11.81%

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

$29.2K R$149.2K

$29.4K R$150.4K

-0.76%

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

$71.8 R$367

$46.61 R$239

53.96%

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

$13.11 R$67.1

$12.45 R$63.7

5.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$105

$14.46 R$74.0

41.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$128

$22.69 R$116

10.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$110

$21.44 R$110

0.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.58

$5.30 R$27.13

38.49%

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

$485 R$2,483

$314 R$1,604

54.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.7K

$6,841 R$35.0K

122.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$297

$30.42 R$156

91.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$215

$17.78 R$91.0

136.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$347

$54.8 R$280

23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$329

$73.0 R$373

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,048

$312 R$1,596

28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,342

$212 R$1,086

23.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,828

$591 R$3,025

59.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,849

$434 R$2,222

28.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.6K

$1,467 R$7,505

68.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,835

$1,141 R$5,839

51.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,705

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 Cerquilho: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $312 in Cerquilho. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $29.00 in Cerquilho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $163 per month, with Cerquilho 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 Cerquilho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Cerquilho differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $718 including rent). Cerquilho 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 $1,077 in Cerquilho 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 $312 in Cerquilho. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cerquilho – a meal for two runs $29.00 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 $718 in Cerquilho – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Cerquilho 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 Cerquilho gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.