Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cuiaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Cuiaba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Brasilia versus $816 in Cuiaba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,252 in Cuiaba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,689 in Cuiaba.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 6% more expensive than Cuiaba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Cuiaba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.12

$3.54 R$17.73

98.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$194

$17.96 R$89.9

116.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.64

$6.08 R$30.44

3.95%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.80

$1.62 R$8.09

20.99%

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

$1.18 R$5.89

$0.96 R$4.82

22.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.30

$0.61 R$3.07

40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.28

$1.24 R$6.23

49.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$15.89

$2.19 R$10.94

45.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.98

$1.06 R$5.32

-6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$7.99

$1.51 R$7.57

5.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.06

$1.67 R$8.34

-15.57%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.19

$3.20 R$16.02

-36.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.31

$11.24 R$56.3

-15.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.01

$4.45 R$22.25

-23.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.21

$10.13 R$50.7

-30.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.82

$2.16 R$10.79

-9.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.02

$1.70 R$8.49

-17.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.02

$1.78 R$8.89

-32.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.29

$2.26 R$11.31

-26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.20

$2.09 R$10.47

-40.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.53

$1.59 R$7.97

-17.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.68 R$3.42

19.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.15

$1.27 R$6.37

-50.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.66

$2.08 R$10.39

2.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.16

$10.17 R$50.9

-11.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.53

$1.76 R$8.82

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.95

$2.24 R$11.20

6.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.15

$0.88 R$4.41

17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$222

$38.75 R$194

14.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.72

$1.05 R$5.27

-10.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.74 R$3.73

9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$27.88

$6.22 R$31.15

-10.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.61

$1.00 R$5.00

12.00%

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

$25.0K R$125.2K

$21.0K R$105.3K

18.88%

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

$29.1K R$145.7K

$27.7K R$138.7K

5.04%

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

$72.2 R$361

$61.3 R$307

17.85%

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

$13.08 R$65.5

$18.30 R$91.6

-28.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$102

$23.56 R$118

-13.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$125

$22.56 R$113

10.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$107

$19.91 R$99.7

6.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.42

$4.37 R$21.85

62.01%

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

$488 R$2,444

$248 R$1,242

96.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.0K

$5,108 R$25.6K

193.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$292

$50.6 R$253

15.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$210

$45.86 R$230

-8.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$349

$137 R$688

-49.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$327

$62.7 R$314

4.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,040

$285 R$1,429

42.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,302

$192 R$962

35.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,747

$564 R$2,823

68.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,811

$316 R$1,581

77.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.7K

$1,279 R$6,398

98.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,576

$800 R$4,003

114.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,235

$426 R$2,131

98.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

18.5

-35.84%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cuiaba: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $285 in Cuiaba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 99% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $18.00 in Cuiaba. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $232, 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 Cuiaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Cuiaba differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $816 including rent). Cuiaba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 99% 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $285 in Cuiaba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuiaba – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Brasilia versus $816 in Cuiaba – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Cuiaba 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 Cuiaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.