Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Changsha Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Changsha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $969 in Brasilia versus $768 in Changsha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Brasilia versus $1,275 in Changsha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,132 in Brasilia versus $1,783 in Changsha.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 26% more expensive than in Changsha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Changsha 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 R$45.75

$3.02 ¥20.25

195.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 R$199

$21.93 ¥147

76.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 R$43.54

$4.85 ¥32.50

75.05%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.24

$3.35 ¥22.42

-22.99%

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

$1.41 R$7.22

$0.47 ¥3.16

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.27 ¥1.82

233.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$12.07

$1.26 ¥8.43

87.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 R$19.83

$1.89 ¥12.68

104.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.53

$1.99 ¥13.36

-45.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.43

$2.40 ¥16.04

-15.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.00 ¥6.72

28.00%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$1.69 ¥11.29

43.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 R$60.6

$12.85 ¥86.0

-8.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R$21.09

$3.95 ¥26.49

4.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.47

$11.79 ¥79.0

-28.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 R$12.39

$2.97 ¥19.86

-18.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.36 ¥9.10

7.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.55

$1.83 ¥12.29

-30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.45

$1.95 ¥13.06

-15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$0.95 ¥6.34

22.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.56 ¥10.47

-31.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.65 ¥4.32

21.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.85

$0.52 ¥3.50

82.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.29

$3.04 ¥20.36

-21.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 R$42.17

$12.59 ¥84.3

-34.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.07 ¥7.19

14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.02

$1.57 ¥10.48

49.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.36 ¥2.41

177.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$180

$15.12 ¥101

131.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.53 ¥10.26

-30.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.29 ¥1.94

217.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$30.99

$4.49 ¥30.09

34.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.22 ¥8.14

7.38%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$19.0K ¥127.2K

22.80%

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

$31.9K R$163.6K

$17.7K ¥118.3K

80.76%

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

$96.4 R$494

$56.8 ¥380

69.83%

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

$12.61 R$64.6

$8.99 ¥60.2

40.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$112

$13.62 ¥91.2

60.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$159

$54.3 ¥364

-42.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$138

$23.93 ¥160

12.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.38

$6.24 ¥41.76

23.08%

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

$822 R$4,214

$322 ¥2,156

155.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$84.3K

$16.5K ¥110.5K

-0.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$265

$83.2 ¥557

-37.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.32 R$222

$35.08 ¥235

23.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 R$427

$87.5 ¥586

-4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R$443

$58.4 ¥391

47.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,453

$268 ¥1,797

78.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,322

$164 ¥1,101

56.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 R$5,719

$564 ¥3,777

97.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,855

$381 ¥2,555

46.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

$2,560 ¥17.1K

-4.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,962

$1,409 ¥9,438

24.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,327

$1,110 ¥7,437

-23.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

3.46

250.29%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Changsha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Brasilia and $268 in Changsha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $22.00 in Changsha. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $237, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Changsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Changsha differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $768 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Changsha. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $479 in Brasilia versus $268 in Changsha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changsha – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Brasilia versus $768 in Changsha – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $768 in Changsha versus $969 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Changsha but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Changsha 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 Changsha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.