Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Criciuma Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Criciuma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $669 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,005 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,341 in Criciuma.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 29% more expensive than in Criciuma, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Criciuma 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.18

$5.05 R$25.64

45.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$203

$21.31 R$108

88.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.34

$5.16 R$26.17

23.45%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.52

$1.21 R$6.14

55.37%

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

$1.18 R$5.99

$0.89 R$4.52

32.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.37

$0.57 R$2.88

50.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.30

$1.65 R$8.36

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.76

$1.49 R$7.54

121.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.06

$0.88 R$4.46

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.16

$1.24 R$6.28

29.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.18

$0.98 R$4.98

43.88%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.73

$1.83 R$9.31

15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.24

$7.74 R$39.29

22.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.70

$3.16 R$16.05

4.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.12

$6.59 R$33.44

5.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.27

$1.86 R$9.42

8.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.08

$0.83 R$4.23

68.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.83

$0.92 R$4.67

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.13

$1.27 R$6.46

25.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.23

$1.00 R$5.07

23.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$0.99 R$5.00

30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.76

$0.65 R$3.32

13.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.32

$0.62 R$3.16

4.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.14

$2.49 R$12.65

-11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.39

$4.88 R$24.74

63.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.47

$1.03 R$5.22

4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.44

$1.31 R$6.64

72.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.96

$0.93 R$4.71

5.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$224

$32.24 R$164

37.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.83

$0.41 R$2.08

131.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$1.06 R$5.37

-25.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.31

$2.13 R$10.83

171.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.69

$1.04 R$5.28

7.69%

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

$24.7K R$125.5K

$19.8K R$100.4K

24.96%

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

$29.3K R$148.7K

$25.4K R$129.0K

15.26%

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

$71.2 R$361

$59.3 R$301

20.06%

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

$13.29 R$67.4

$13.86 R$70.3

-4.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$105

$20.47 R$104

1.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$129

$24.87 R$126

2.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$110

$21.28 R$108

1.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$35.85

$7.79 R$39.52

-9.24%

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

$480 R$2,436

$128 R$652

273.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.4K

$1,502 R$7,622

915.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$292

$23.97 R$122

140.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$208

$30.11 R$153

35.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$344

$68.8 R$349

-1.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$325

$31.40 R$159

104.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,074

$218 R$1,107

87.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,300

$195 R$988

31.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,900

$301 R$1,527

220.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,810

$248 R$1,256

123.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.7K

$1,185 R$6,012

111.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,532

$626 R$3,176

168.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,760

$310 R$1,571

202.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

8.4

41.31%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $218 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 203% 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: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $21.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $148 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

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

Brasilia and Criciuma differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $669 including rent). Criciuma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 203% 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: $409 in Brasilia versus $218 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Criciuma – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $669 in Criciuma – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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.

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 Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.