Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Guarulhos Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Guarulhos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $808 in Guarulhos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,323 in Guarulhos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,839 in Guarulhos.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 7% more expensive than in Guarulhos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Guarulhos 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.31

$7.07 R$36.01

3.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$204

$33.05 R$168

21.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.45

$6.71 R$34.15

-5.07%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.56

$1.74 R$8.86

8.05%

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

$1.18 R$6.01

$1.27 R$6.45

-7.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.38

$0.84 R$4.26

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.33

$2.19 R$11.15

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.82

$2.94 R$14.99

12.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.08

$1.01 R$5.16

-0.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.19

$1.75 R$8.89

-8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.20

$1.13 R$5.74

24.78%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.77

$2.40 R$12.22

-11.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.40

$10.33 R$52.6

-7.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.75

$4.05 R$20.62

-18.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.24

$8.55 R$43.51

-19.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.30

$2.09 R$10.64

-3.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.67 R$8.52

-16.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.37 R$7.00

-16.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.72 R$8.75

-6.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.40 R$7.12

-12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.56

$1.28 R$6.54

0.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.99 R$5.06

-25.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.33

$0.64 R$3.26

1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.18

$2.18 R$11.08

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.52

$9.66 R$49.20

-17.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.49

$1.37 R$6.95

-21.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.48

$2.15 R$10.94

5.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.97

$1.05 R$5.35

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$225

$38.96 R$198

13.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.85

$1.05 R$5.35

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.04

$0.58 R$2.97

36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.40

$7.90 R$40.21

-26.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.71

$1.07 R$5.47

4.67%

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

$24.7K R$125.9K

$21.2K R$108.1K

16.42%

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

$29.3K R$149.2K

$29.0K R$147.5K

1.20%

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

$71.2 R$363

$52.4 R$267

35.86%

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

$13.29 R$67.7

$13.15 R$66.9

1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$20.26 R$103

2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$13.74 R$69.9

85.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$110

$21.27 R$108

1.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$35.97

$7.37 R$37.54

-4.07%

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

$480 R$2,444

$321 R$1,633

49.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.7K

$8,794 R$44.8K

73.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$293

$52.5 R$267

9.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$208

$41.58 R$212

-1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$345

$77.1 R$392

-12.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$327

$74.5 R$379

-13.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,081

$309 R$1,575

32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,304

$213 R$1,083

20.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,916

$571 R$2,908

69.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,819

$421 R$2,146

31.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.7K

$1,893 R$9,640

32.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,561

$1,342 R$6,832

25.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,775

$360 R$1,831

160.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.17

6.27%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Guarulhos: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $309 in Guarulhos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 161% 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: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $33.00 in Guarulhos. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $202, 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 Guarulhos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Guarulhos differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $808 including rent). Guarulhos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 161% 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: $409 in Brasilia versus $309 in Guarulhos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Guarulhos – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $808 in Guarulhos – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Guarulhos 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 Guarulhos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.