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: $863 in Brasilia versus $829 in Chapeco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Brasilia versus $1,292 in Chapeco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Brasilia versus $1,755 in Chapeco.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 4% more expensive than in Chapeco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 R$36.53

$5.50 R$27.82

31.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 R$198

$33.64 R$170

16.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.22

$5.28 R$26.68

20.64%

Cappuccino

$1.86 R$9.41

$1.84 R$9.31

1.09%

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

$1.17 R$5.90

$0.70 R$3.52

67.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.75 R$3.78

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.91

$1.42 R$7.17

23.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.00

$2.19 R$11.06

44.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.92 R$4.66

1.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 R$8.36

$1.06 R$5.39

55.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.49

$1.28 R$6.50

15.62%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$1.64 R$8.30

22.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.83

$8.18 R$41.36

13.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R$17.24

$7.17 R$36.28

-52.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 R$34.86

$7.31 R$36.95

-5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.26

$2.12 R$10.73

-4.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.09 R$5.51

25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.85

$1.19 R$6.01

-2.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.18

$1.45 R$7.35

11.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$0.93 R$4.73

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.50

$1.05 R$5.34

22.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.80

$0.75 R$3.78

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.08

$0.62 R$3.13

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.37 R$11.97

-8.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.78

$9.67 R$48.89

-16.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.59

$1.26 R$6.38

-11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$2.04 R$10.32

11.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.92

$0.84 R$4.24

15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 R$222

$38.45 R$194

13.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.07

$1.06 R$5.35

-5.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R$4.07

$0.72 R$3.64

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.80

$6.57 R$33.23

-13.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.11 R$5.60

-1.80%

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

$25.3K R$128.2K

$21.7K R$109.7K

16.81%

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

$28.5K R$144.2K

$26.4K R$133.7K

7.80%

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

$70.2 R$355

$60.6 R$307

15.84%

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

$13.06 R$66.1

$8.15 R$41.24

60.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 R$101

$17.89 R$90.5

12.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$125

$23.55 R$119

4.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$110

$32.52 R$165

-32.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 R$36.60

$6.34 R$32.05

14.20%

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

$485 R$2,453

$266 R$1,343

82.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$76.4K

$6,371 R$32.2K

137.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R$290

$49.54 R$251

15.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$213

$41.75 R$211

1.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$344

$75.4 R$381

-9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R$321

$65.4 R$331

-3.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,082

$283 R$1,433

45.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,329

$260 R$1,316

1.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 R$4,920

$572 R$2,892

70.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 R$2,846

$460 R$2,325

22.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 R$12.7K

$1,680 R$8,497

49.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 R$8,829

$1,074 R$5,432

62.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,694

$435 R$2,200

113.36%

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 21, 2026

Last update for Chapeco: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $283 in Chapeco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 113% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $34.00 in Chapeco. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 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 4% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $829 including rent). Chapeco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 113% higher in Brasilia, 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: $412 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 $34.00 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 $829 in Chapeco – a 4% 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 4% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.