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: $870 in Brasilia versus $721 in Cerquilho.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,163 in Cerquilho.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,605 in Cerquilho.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 21% more expensive than Cerquilho, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$6.17 R$30.68

16.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$28.26 R$140

41.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$7.12 R$35.41

-9.27%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.76 R$8.76

9.66%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.33 R$6.60

-9.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.86 R$4.28

-4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.11 R$5.50

63.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.74 R$13.63

21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.14 R$5.66

-11.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.42 R$7.06

14.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.26 R$6.27

14.29%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.41 R$11.96

-12.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.10 R$40.25

11.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$1.85 R$9.17

80.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$5.44 R$27.03

22.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$1.77 R$8.78

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.79 R$8.90

-24.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.10 R$5.46

5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.57 R$7.81

3.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.24 R$6.18

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$0.53 R$2.63

143.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.80 R$4.00

-7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.55 R$2.75

12.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$1.28 R$6.36

64.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$9.51 R$47.25

5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.11 R$5.50

-4.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$2.75 R$13.66

-14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.94 R$4.67

1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$39.25 R$195

10.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$0.93 R$4.63

7.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$1.07 R$5.31

-28.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$8.78 R$43.65

-35.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.02 R$5.05

10.78%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$22.8K R$113.4K

11.49%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$28.9K R$143.7K

0.59%

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

$71.6 R$356

$47.88 R$238

49.58%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$12.63 R$62.8

6.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$14.14 R$70.3

45.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.13 R$110

14.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.77 R$108

0.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$5.28 R$26.22

35.23%

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

$483 R$2,402

$314 R$1,563

53.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,755 R$33.6K

126.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$30.33 R$151

93.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$17.72 R$88.1

134.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$54.9 R$273

24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$72.3 R$359

-10.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$314 R$1,561

29.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$213 R$1,061

18.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$574 R$2,851

68.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$422 R$2,096

32.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,835 R$9,120

46.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,021 R$5,074

75.86%

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 Cerquilho: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $40 in Brasilia vs $28 in Cerquilho for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $167 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 21% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $721 including rent). Cerquilho 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 $1,082 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: $407 in Brasilia versus $314 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 $28.00 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 $721 in Cerquilho – a 21% 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 21% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.