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: $863 in Brasilia versus $790 in Cotia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,274 in Cotia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,759 in Cotia.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Cotia 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.67

$6.27 R$31.83

18.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$198

$32.79 R$166

18.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.14

$7.14 R$36.24

-14.01%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.75

$1.82 R$9.22

5.49%

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

$1.18 R$5.97

$1.19 R$6.03

-0.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.85 R$4.32

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.04

$1.83 R$9.26

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$16.91

$2.85 R$14.45

16.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.83

$1.03 R$5.21

-7.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.27

$1.55 R$7.88

5.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$1.30 R$6.62

12.31%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.56

$2.41 R$12.21

-13.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$47.71

$8.09 R$41.04

16.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.20

$3.76 R$19.10

-9.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.05

$8.89 R$45.12

-24.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.28 R$11.56

-15.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.93

$1.74 R$8.81

-21.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$1.42 R$7.21

-18.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.49

$1.52 R$7.72

9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.24 R$6.32

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.09 R$5.55

20.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.73

$0.74 R$3.73

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.62 R$3.14

8.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.03

$2.57 R$13.06

-15.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.91

$8.52 R$43.23

-5.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.60

$1.35 R$6.87

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.59

$2.33 R$11.81

-2.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$0.87 R$4.41

11.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$220

$39.07 R$198

10.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.82

$0.91 R$4.63

4.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.74 R$3.77

6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.59

$8.41 R$42.66

-30.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.05 R$5.33

8.57%

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

$25.2K R$127.9K

$21.8K R$110.9K

15.41%

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

$29.2K R$148.0K

$27.9K R$141.8K

4.36%

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

$71.8 R$364

$46.66 R$237

53.79%

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

$13.11 R$66.5

$13.07 R$66.3

0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$104

$18.91 R$96.0

8.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$127

$22.21 R$113

12.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$109

$22.02 R$112

-2.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.27

$5.53 R$28.07

32.73%

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

$485 R$2,462

$315 R$1,598

54.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.1K

$6,956 R$35.3K

118.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$295

$51.3 R$260

13.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$213

$42.17 R$214

-0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$344

$79.8 R$405

-15.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$326

$72.7 R$369

-11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,031

$315 R$1,599

27.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,330

$214 R$1,084

22.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,788

$580 R$2,941

62.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,825

$426 R$2,160

30.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.5K

$1,500 R$7,610

64.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,762

$1,271 R$6,448

35.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,665

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 27, 2026

Last update for Cotia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $315 in Cotia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $33.00 in Cotia. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $190, 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 ($863 vs $790 including rent). Cotia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,295 in Brasilia and $1,184 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: $400 in Brasilia versus $315 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 $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 $790 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.