Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Criciuma

For one person, living is cheaper in Criciuma: $711 a month against $907 in Brasilia, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Brasilia, Brazil
Criciuma, Brazil
Brasilia
🇧🇷 Brazil
$907
/mo nomad
Criciuma
🇧🇷 Brazil
$711
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brasilia and in Criciuma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brasilia and in Criciuma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $907 in Brasilia versus $711 in Criciuma.

  • Brasilia $907
  • Criciuma $711

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Brasilia versus $1,060 in Criciuma.

  • Brasilia $1,501
  • Criciuma $1,060

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,094 in Brasilia versus $1,410 in Criciuma.

  • Brasilia $2,094
  • Criciuma $1,410

Living in Brasilia is roughly 28% more expensive than in Criciuma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 33% lower, Criciuma 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.23 R$45.19
$5.38 R$29.53
52.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.50 R$206
$20.36 R$112
84.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.00 R$43.92
$5.48 R$30.07
45.99%
Cappuccino
$2.44 R$13.37
$1.23 R$6.75
98.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 R$7.53
$1.04 R$5.71
31.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 R$5.34
$0.68 R$3.73
42.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 R$12.43
$1.50 R$8.24
51.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 R$19.67
$1.83 R$10.02
95.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 R$5.17
$0.84 R$4.62
11.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.93 R$10.60
$1.35 R$7.43
42.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.68
$1.02 R$5.61
19.61%
Eggs
$2.25 R$12.33
$1.90 R$10.42
18.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.96 R$60.2
$7.59 R$41.68
44.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.68 R$20.21
$3.38 R$18.55
8.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.16 R$44.79
$8.00 R$43.88
2.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 R$12.52
$1.96 R$10.78
16.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 R$7.50
$1.08 R$5.95
26.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.24 R$6.81
$0.94 R$5.18
31.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 R$8.21
$1.48 R$8.15
1.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 R$5.97
$1.15 R$6.33
-5.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 R$5.63
$1.03 R$5.66
-0.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 R$4.17
$0.74 R$4.06
2.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 R$5.16
$0.61 R$3.33
54.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 R$12.84
$2.35 R$12.88
-0.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.68 R$42.15
$4.38 R$24.05
75.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 R$6.78
$1.08 R$5.94
14.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 R$12.21
$1.33 R$7.32
66.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.77 R$4.24
$0.95 R$5.19
-18.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.34 R$167
$36.40 R$200
-16.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.20 R$6.58
$0.45 R$2.49
166.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 R$4.63
$0.72 R$3.97
16.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.22 R$39.64
$2.27 R$12.43
218.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 R$6.57
$1.22 R$6.68
-1.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K R$117.4K
$21.7K R$119.1K
-1.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K R$173.7K
$28.5K R$156.3K
11.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.9 R$482
$66.5 R$365
32.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.11 R$61.0
$11.38 R$62.5
-2.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.19 R$111
$20.08 R$110
0.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.40 R$167
$26.76 R$147
13.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.58 R$140
$37.06 R$203
-30.98%
Cinema Ticket
$7.23 R$39.68
$6.77 R$37.14
6.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$765 R$4,201
$154 R$846
396.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K R$91.3K
$2,747 R$15.1K
505.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.1 R$291
$46.99 R$258
12.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.52 R$228
$27.95 R$153
48.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.7 R$432
$75.9 R$417
3.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.4 R$446
$40.62 R$223
100.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$508 R$2,786
$222 R$1,216
129.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$246 R$1,352
$192 R$1,054
28.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,132 R$6,212
$378 R$2,075
199.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$584 R$3,208
$248 R$1,362
135.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,281 R$12.5K
$1,096 R$6,015
108.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,623 R$8,909
$594 R$3,261
173.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brasilia
Criciuma
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$859 R$4,717
$288 R$1,580
198.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.12
10.74
12.85%

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

Last update for Brasilia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brasilia
$246
Criciuma
$192 22% $54
Groceries & Markets
Brasilia
$196
Criciuma
$157 19.7% $39
Eating Out
Brasilia
$147
Criciuma
$92 37.2% $55
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brasilia
$119
Criciuma
$98 17.8% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Brasilia
$115
Criciuma
$86 24.8% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Brasilia
$45
Criciuma
$40 10.2% $4.6
Getting Around
Brasilia
$39
Criciuma
$44 13.9% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Brasilia and $222 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays about 3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Brasilia vs $20 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $157 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Brasilia
🇧🇷 Criciuma
🕒 Local time
01:03 1:03 AM
01:03 1:03 AM
Same time as Brasilia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,817,381 Capital
214,493
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.14 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brasilia Criciuma 1,440 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brasilia
  • Criciuma

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Brasilia and in Criciuma?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $907 in Brasilia and $711 in Criciuma, so Criciuma is about 22% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Brasilia or Criciuma?
Average pay in Brasilia is about 3 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Brasilia and in Criciuma?
Rent for a central apartment: $508 in Brasilia versus $222 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Criciuma – a meal for two runs $20 versus $38 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Brasilia or Criciuma?
All in, you’ll spend $907 per month in Brasilia versus $711 in Criciuma – Criciuma is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $1,000 go in Brasilia compared to Criciuma?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Criciuma gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Brasilia and Criciuma?
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.
How do I decide between Brasilia and Criciuma?
It comes down to priorities – Criciuma wins on affordability, Brasilia on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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