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: $870 in Brasilia versus $793 in Duque de Caxias.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,285 in Duque de Caxias.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,777 in Duque de Caxias.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 10% more expensive than Duque de Caxias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Duque de Caxias 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$6.15 R$30.55

16.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$30.54 R$152

30.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$6.79 R$33.74

-4.86%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.89 R$9.40

2.12%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.35 R$6.69

-10.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.82 R$4.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.78 R$8.86

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.35 R$11.70

41.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.10 R$5.45

-8.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.45 R$7.21

11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.29 R$6.42

11.63%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$1.88 R$9.32

11.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.19 R$40.70

10.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$3.57 R$17.74

-6.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$7.58 R$37.68

-12.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.23 R$11.08

-9.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.53 R$7.62

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.43 R$7.10

-18.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.60 R$7.97

1.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.23 R$6.10

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$0.97 R$4.82

32.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.62 R$3.07

19.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.64 R$3.19

-3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.76 R$13.70

-23.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$8.10 R$40.25

23.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.23 R$6.12

-13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$2.69 R$13.35

-12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.94 R$4.68

1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.81 R$193

11.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$0.93 R$4.63

7.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.66 R$3.27

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$7.30 R$36.28

-22.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.05 R$5.24

7.62%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$13.4K R$66.8K

89.34%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$17.6K R$87.3K

65.55%

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

$71.6 R$356

$46.21 R$230

54.99%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$15.05 R$74.8

-10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$18.57 R$92.3

10.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.17 R$110

14.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.46 R$107

1.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$5.31 R$26.40

34.46%

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

$483 R$2,402

$311 R$1,546

55.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,940 R$34.5K

120.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$56.8 R$282

3.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$35.34 R$176

17.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$87.1 R$433

-21.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$70.7 R$352

-8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$321 R$1,596

26.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$216 R$1,072

17.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$586 R$2,912

64.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$421 R$2,093

33.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,680 R$8,352

59.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,211 R$6,019

48.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

$297 R$1,475

156.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.92

8.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Last update for Duque de Caxias: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $321 in Duque de Caxias. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 156% 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 $31 in Duque de Caxias for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $181 per month, with Duque de Caxias 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 Duque de Caxias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Duque de Caxias differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $793 including rent). Duque de Caxias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 156% 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: $407 in Brasilia versus $321 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 $31.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Brasilia versus $793 in Duque de Caxias – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Duque de Caxias 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 Duque de Caxias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.