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: $957 in Brasilia versus $919 in Guarulhos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,712 in Guarulhos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $2,504 in Guarulhos.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 4% more expensive than in Guarulhos, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Guarulhos 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$43.93

$8.83 R$45.05

-2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$38.26 R$195

2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.79

$8.47 R$43.17

-5.55%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.98

$2.48 R$12.66

2.82%

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

$1.45 R$7.40

$1.36 R$6.93

6.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.85 R$4.34

12.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.52

$2.26 R$11.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.85

$3.70 R$18.89

5.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$1.02 R$5.22

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.40

$1.79 R$9.14

13.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.34 R$6.81

-5.97%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.45

$2.73 R$13.93

-10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.5

$11.68 R$59.6

3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.72

$4.85 R$24.73

-16.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.05

$10.42 R$53.1

-20.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.96

$2.30 R$11.71

1.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.24

$1.72 R$8.79

-17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$1.48 R$7.54

-14.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.44

$1.42 R$7.26

16.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.90

$1.27 R$6.49

-8.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$1.19 R$6.07

-15.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.93 R$4.75

-10.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$0.84 R$4.29

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.16

$2.40 R$12.22

-0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.75

$9.74 R$49.66

-17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.64

$1.51 R$7.72

-13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.22

$2.52 R$12.83

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.67

$1.12 R$5.71

-17.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

$102 R$522

-65.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.36

$1.18 R$6.03

-11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.69 R$3.51

23.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.43

$8.30 R$42.34

-28.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.53

$1.23 R$6.29

4.07%

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

$22.6K R$115.4K

$22.5K R$114.8K

0.48%

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

$32.1K R$163.7K

$33.2K R$169.1K

-3.20%

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

$91.1 R$464

$70.0 R$357

30.03%

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

$12.43 R$63.4

$15.34 R$78.2

-18.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$115

$21.72 R$111

3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$26.90 R$137

17.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.06

$9.82 R$50.1

-19.96%

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

$813 R$4,147

$420 R$2,144

93.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.2K

$9,859 R$50.3K

65.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$266

$62.6 R$319

-16.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$223

$55.2 R$282

-20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$422

$90.6 R$462

-8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$441

$83.0 R$423

4.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,551

$343 R$1,748

45.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,357

$152 R$776

74.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,778

$965 R$4,919

17.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,865

$752 R$3,833

-25.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.3K

$1,873 R$9,550

28.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,695

$1,452 R$7,404

17.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,467

$363 R$1,850

141.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

11.25

4.89%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Guarulhos: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $343 in Guarulhos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 141% 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 $38.00 in Guarulhos. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $222, 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 4% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $919 including rent). Guarulhos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 141% 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 $343 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 $38.00 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 $919 in Guarulhos – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $919 in Guarulhos versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guarulhos but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Guarulhos 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 Guarulhos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.