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: $856 in Brasilia versus $679 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,405 in Brasilia versus $1,003 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,955 in Brasilia versus $1,328 in Criciuma.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 26% more expensive than Criciuma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Criciuma 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.04 R$35.05

$4.84 R$24.10

45.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.17 R$200

$21.99 R$110

82.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 R$31.86

$5.28 R$26.28

21.21%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.56

$1.25 R$6.22

53.60%

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

$1.22 R$6.08

$0.85 R$4.25

43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.34

$0.57 R$2.85

52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.85

$1.64 R$8.17

8.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 R$15.97

$1.51 R$7.52

112.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$4.96

$0.86 R$4.29

16.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.12

$1.29 R$6.41

26.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.09

$0.98 R$4.86

44.90%

Eggs

$2.00 R$9.97

$1.77 R$8.82

12.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 R$46.67

$7.97 R$39.71

17.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 R$16.20

$3.21 R$15.96

1.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 R$34.62

$6.84 R$34.06

1.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.77

$1.86 R$9.26

5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.08

$0.90 R$4.46

57.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.78

$0.85 R$4.21

36.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.99

$1.25 R$6.25

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.44

$0.98 R$4.89

31.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.19

$1.02 R$5.08

21.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.01

$0.70 R$3.48

15.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.31

$0.63 R$3.12

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 R$10.92

$2.54 R$12.67

-13.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 R$49.69

$4.91 R$24.45

103.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.03 R$5.13

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$11.63

$1.25 R$6.24

87.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.73

$0.87 R$4.34

9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.98 R$219

$32.00 R$159

37.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.96

$0.42 R$2.08

138.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 R$3.89

$1.02 R$5.06

-23.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 R$27.83

$2.13 R$10.60

162.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.43

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

$24.9K R$123.8K

$19.9K R$99.1K

25.02%

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

$28.7K R$142.7K

$25.6K R$127.3K

12.13%

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

$71.7 R$357

$58.4 R$291

22.73%

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

$13.22 R$65.8

$14.10 R$70.2

-6.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.34 R$101

$20.81 R$104

-2.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.07 R$125

$24.92 R$124

0.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.54 R$107

$21.63 R$108

-0.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.03 R$35.03

$7.84 R$39.05

-10.33%

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

$481 R$2,396

$126 R$628

281.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K R$76.5K

$1,500 R$7,469

924.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 R$296

$24.63 R$123

141.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$30.13 R$150

38.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 R$344

$68.0 R$339

1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.9 R$323

$31.62 R$157

105.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 R$2,045

$221 R$1,101

85.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,263

$198 R$985

28.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 R$4,794

$296 R$1,475

225.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,749

$247 R$1,228

123.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,758 R$13.7K

$1,189 R$5,921

131.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,809 R$9,007

$641 R$3,195

181.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$753 R$3,749

$320 R$1,595

134.95%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $411 in Brasilia and $221 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 135% 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 in Brasilia vs $22 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $150 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 26% in total monthly costs ($856 vs $679 including rent). Criciuma is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 135% more on average, 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: $411 in Brasilia versus $221 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 $22.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $856 per month in Brasilia versus $679 in Criciuma – a 26% 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 26% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.