Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Gramado Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Gramado

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $880 in Gramado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,380 in Gramado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,879 in Gramado.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 11% more expensive than in Gramado, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Gramado 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$7.43 R$38.30

17.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$24.29 R$125

56.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$5.73 R$29.55

41.71%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$1.72 R$8.84

49.42%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.18 R$6.06

22.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.73 R$3.78

32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$2.39 R$12.29

-3.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$1.98 R$10.18

90.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.01 R$5.19

5.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$1.43 R$7.36

46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.08 R$5.56

22.22%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$2.32 R$11.96

5.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$10.00 R$51.5

17.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$4.10 R$21.13

-0.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$5.47 R$28.19

55.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.33 R$12.00

3.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$1.47 R$7.58

-2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.43 R$7.36

-8.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.55 R$8.00

3.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$0.99 R$5.13

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$1.10 R$5.69

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.62 R$3.20

29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.66 R$3.39

51.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$2.48 R$12.78

-3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$5.78 R$29.80

40.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.14 R$5.88

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$1.86 R$9.60

25.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$1.13 R$5.82

-7.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$67.3 R$347

-48.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.24 R$6.38

-16.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$0.60 R$3.08

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$5.83 R$30.01

8.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.22 R$6.31

5.74%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$19.6K R$101.0K

18.98%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$27.0K R$138.9K

20.86%

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

$95.0 R$489

$60.7 R$313

56.50%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$11.94 R$61.5

2.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$21.43 R$110

4.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$25.32 R$130

23.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$27.25 R$140

-1.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$6.39 R$32.92

22.85%

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

$811 R$4,177

$296 R$1,524

174.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$3,113 R$16.0K

430.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$49.95 R$257

3.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$33.24 R$171

31.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$68.0 R$350

22.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$47.60 R$245

79.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$491 R$2,528

-2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$299 R$1,540

-12.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$908 R$4,676

22.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$571 R$2,944

-2.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$2,472 R$12.7K

1.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,524 R$7,852

11.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$591 R$3,044

36.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

21.20%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Gramado: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $491 in Gramado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 37% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $24.00 in Gramado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $175 per month, with Gramado 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 Gramado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Gramado differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $880 including rent). Gramado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $491 in Gramado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gramado – a meal for two runs $24.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $880 in Gramado – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $880 in Gramado versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gramado but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Gramado 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 Gramado 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.