Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Duque de Caxias Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Duque de Caxias

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $790 in Duque de Caxias.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,344 in Duque de Caxias.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,898 in Duque de Caxias.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 21% more expensive than in Duque de Caxias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Duque de Caxias 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.15

$6.82 R$34.94

26.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$38.93 R$200

0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.99

$7.57 R$38.81

5.68%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.05

$2.21 R$11.34

15.38%

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

$1.45 R$7.44

$1.49 R$7.66

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.99 R$5.08

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$2.25 R$11.54

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$3.34 R$17.11

16.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.14 R$5.84

-6.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.99 R$10.21

2.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.10 R$5.65

14.55%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.25 R$11.54

8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$8.88 R$45.50

35.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.82

$4.23 R$21.68

-4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.25

$9.60 R$49.22

-14.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$2.70 R$13.83

-13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.81 R$9.27

-21.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$1.58 R$8.12

-19.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.76 R$9.00

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.22 R$6.26

-4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$0.99 R$5.09

2.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.68 R$3.49

22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$0.67 R$3.43

46.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$2.64 R$13.54

-9.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$7.78 R$39.88

2.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.11 R$5.69

17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.52 R$12.89

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.91 R$4.68

1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

$42.81 R$219

-17.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.22 R$6.27

-13.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.38

$1.34 R$6.86

-36.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.58

$8.90 R$45.62

-32.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.27 R$6.49

0.79%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$22.8K R$116.6K

-0.61%

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

$32.1K R$164.5K

$32.2K R$165.2K

-0.45%

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

$91.1 R$467

$44.70 R$229

103.69%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$10.89 R$55.8

14.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$18.20 R$93.3

23.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$25.43 R$130

23.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

$26.97 R$138

-2.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.26

$7.68 R$39.35

2.34%

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

$813 R$4,168

$417 R$2,139

94.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$7,525 R$38.6K

116.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$40.16 R$206

30.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$46.75 R$240

-6.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$92.8 R$476

-10.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$81.0 R$415

6.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,564

$287 R$1,473

74.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$165 R$846

61.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,806

$756 R$3,877

49.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,879

$441 R$2,261

27.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

$1,235 R$6,327

95.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,738

$553 R$2,832

208.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,489

$294 R$1,506

198.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

11.12

6.12%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Duque de Caxias: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $287 in Duque de Caxias. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 198% 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 $39.00 in Duque de Caxias. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $203, with Duque de Caxias 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 Duque de Caxias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Duque de Caxias differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $790 including rent). Duque de Caxias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 198% 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: $500 in Brasilia versus $287 in Duque de Caxias. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $957 per month in Brasilia versus $790 in Duque de Caxias – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $790 in Duque de Caxias versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Duque de Caxias but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Duque de Caxias the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Duque de Caxias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.