Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cotia Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cotia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $800 in Cotia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,286 in Cotia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,772 in Cotia.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 9% more expensive than Cotia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Cotia 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$6.42 R$31.91

11.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$33.40 R$166

19.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$7.27 R$36.12

-11.14%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.80 R$8.94

7.22%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.25 R$6.22

-3.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.84 R$4.18

-2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.81 R$9.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.81 R$13.97

18.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.02 R$5.05

-0.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.56 R$7.76

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.27 R$6.31

13.39%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.33 R$11.56

-9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.41 R$41.79

7.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$3.77 R$18.75

-11.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$8.63 R$42.88

-22.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.16 R$10.74

-6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.80 R$8.94

-24.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.41 R$7.03

-17.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.55 R$7.70

4.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.32 R$6.55

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.08 R$5.37

19.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.75 R$3.72

-1.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.61 R$3.04

1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.46 R$12.23

-14.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$9.65 R$47.97

3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.35 R$6.72

-21.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$2.39 R$11.88

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.87 R$4.33

9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.17 R$190

13.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$0.89 R$4.41

12.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.71 R$3.52

7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$8.73 R$43.38

-34.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.00 R$4.99

13.00%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$22.0K R$109.6K

15.38%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$28.1K R$139.8K

3.36%

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

$71.6 R$356

$47.87 R$238

49.61%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$13.20 R$65.6

1.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$18.87 R$93.8

8.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.10 R$110

14.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.19 R$105

3.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$5.34 R$26.54

33.71%

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

$483 R$2,402

$316 R$1,572

52.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,979 R$34.7K

119.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$51.3 R$255

14.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$42.70 R$212

-2.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$78.4 R$390

-13.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$70.9 R$353

-8.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$319 R$1,588

27.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$217 R$1,080

16.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$586 R$2,915

64.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$424 R$2,107

32.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,704 R$8,468

57.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,192 R$5,925

50.59%

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 Cotia: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $319 in Cotia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Brasilia vs $33 in Cotia. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $192, 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 Cotia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Cotia differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $800 including rent). Cotia 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 $1,199 in Cotia 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 $319 in Cotia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cotia – a meal for two runs $33.00 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 $800 in Cotia – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Cotia 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 Cotia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.