Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Chapeco Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Chapeco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $828 in Chapeco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,304 in Chapeco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,780 in Chapeco.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 5% more expensive than Chapeco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Chapeco 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$5.55 R$27.59

29.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$34.75 R$173

14.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$5.36 R$26.66

20.52%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.78 R$8.83

8.43%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$0.69 R$3.45

75.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.69 R$3.45

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.43 R$7.09

26.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.18 R$10.82

52.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$0.93 R$4.61

8.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.05 R$5.21

54.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.23 R$6.11

17.07%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$1.63 R$8.11

28.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.00 R$39.76

12.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$7.31 R$36.34

-54.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$7.41 R$36.85

-10.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.07 R$10.27

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.06 R$5.28

28.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.20 R$5.96

-3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.44 R$7.18

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$0.93 R$4.64

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.09 R$5.44

18.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.70 R$3.46

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.66 R$3.29

-6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.37 R$11.78

-10.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$9.96 R$49.48

0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.21 R$6.00

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$2.02 R$10.04

16.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.78 R$3.89

21.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.60 R$192

12.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$1.05 R$5.22

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.75 R$3.71

1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$6.47 R$32.14

-12.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.08 R$5.34

4.63%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$21.3K R$105.7K

19.56%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$26.3K R$130.8K

10.52%

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

$71.6 R$356

$59.6 R$296

20.09%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$7.96 R$39.57

68.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$17.66 R$87.8

16.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$23.48 R$117

7.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$32.49 R$161

-32.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$6.48 R$32.22

10.19%

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

$483 R$2,402

$273 R$1,359

76.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,540 R$32.5K

134.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$49.57 R$246

18.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$41.83 R$208

-0.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$74.8 R$372

-8.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$65.2 R$324

-0.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$283 R$1,405

43.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$255 R$1,268

-0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$559 R$2,779

72.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$459 R$2,282

22.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,705 R$8,476

57.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,094 R$5,439

64.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

$445 R$2,213

70.79%

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 Chapeco: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $283 in Chapeco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40 in Brasilia vs $35 in Chapeco. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $188, 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 Chapeco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Chapeco differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $828 including rent). Chapeco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 71% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $407 in Brasilia versus $283 in Chapeco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chapeco – a meal for two runs $35.00 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 $828 in Chapeco – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chapeco 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 Chapeco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.