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: $863 in Brasilia versus $776 in Duque de Caxias.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Brasilia versus $1,249 in Duque de Caxias.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Brasilia versus $1,722 in Duque de Caxias.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 11% more expensive than in Duque de Caxias, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Duque de Caxias 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 R$36.53

$6.40 R$32.38

12.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 R$198

$30.57 R$155

27.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.22

$6.80 R$34.41

-6.32%

Cappuccino

$1.86 R$9.41

$1.87 R$9.48

-0.53%

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

$1.17 R$5.90

$1.32 R$6.69

-11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.85 R$4.30

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.91

$1.78 R$9.01

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.00

$2.37 R$12.01

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.71

$1.08 R$5.45

-13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 R$8.36

$1.45 R$7.35

13.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.49

$1.25 R$6.32

18.40%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$1.83 R$9.25

9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.83

$8.37 R$42.35

10.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R$17.24

$3.70 R$18.74

-7.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 R$34.86

$7.64 R$38.65

-9.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.26

$2.28 R$11.53

-10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.49 R$7.53

-8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.85

$1.40 R$7.08

-17.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.18

$1.51 R$7.66

7.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.24 R$6.26

-0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.50

$1.01 R$5.10

27.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.80

$0.59 R$2.97

27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.08

$0.65 R$3.31

-6.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.67 R$13.52

-18.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.78

$8.00 R$40.46

0.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.59

$1.26 R$6.35

-11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$2.59 R$13.12

-12.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.92

$0.94 R$4.76

3.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 R$222

$38.50 R$195

13.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.07

$0.93 R$4.73

7.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R$4.07

$0.67 R$3.38

19.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.80

$7.07 R$35.76

-19.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.06 R$5.34

2.83%

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

$25.3K R$128.2K

$13.3K R$67.2K

90.84%

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

$28.5K R$144.2K

$17.5K R$88.4K

63.06%

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

$70.2 R$355

$46.90 R$237

49.72%

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

$13.06 R$66.1

$15.02 R$76.0

-13.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 R$101

$18.64 R$94.3

7.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$125

$22.76 R$115

8.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$110

$22.01 R$111

-0.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 R$36.60

$5.49 R$27.79

31.88%

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

$485 R$2,453

$320 R$1,620

51.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$76.4K

$6,864 R$34.7K

120.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R$290

$57.8 R$292

-0.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$213

$35.49 R$180

18.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$344

$84.0 R$425

-19.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R$321

$71.8 R$363

-11.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,082

$311 R$1,574

32.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,329

$218 R$1,101

20.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 R$4,920

$586 R$2,964

66.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 R$2,846

$427 R$2,160

31.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 R$12.7K

$1,290 R$6,527

94.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 R$8,829

$564 R$2,853

209.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,694

$293 R$1,481

217.04%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Duque de Caxias: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $311 in Duque de Caxias. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 217% 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 $31.00 in Duque de Caxias. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $181, 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 Duque de Caxias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Duque de Caxias differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $776 including rent). Duque de Caxias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 217% 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: $412 in Brasilia versus $311 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $776 in Duque de Caxias – a 11% 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 11% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.