Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Ilheus Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Ilheus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Brasilia versus $701 in Ilheus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,404 in Brasilia versus $1,119 in Ilheus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,536 in Ilheus.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 23% more expensive than in Ilheus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Ilheus 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$36.24

$3.81 R$19.66

84.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 R$208

$27.00 R$139

49.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.87

$6.16 R$31.81

3.41%

Cappuccino

$1.87 R$9.66

$1.71 R$8.84

9.36%

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

$1.21 R$6.23

$1.13 R$5.83

7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.63 R$3.25

31.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.41

$1.77 R$9.11

2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 R$16.52

$2.71 R$14.00

18.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.07

$1.00 R$5.18

-2.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.27

$1.50 R$7.74

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.42

$1.14 R$5.87

26.32%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.83

$2.03 R$10.49

3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 R$46.63

$17.35 R$89.6

-47.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.47

$3.58 R$18.46

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 R$36.03

$7.07 R$36.50

-1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 R$10.07

$2.05 R$10.57

-4.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$7.05

$1.27 R$6.54

7.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.26

$1.16 R$5.97

4.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.22

$1.46 R$7.54

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.68

$1.15 R$5.94

12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.61

$1.10 R$5.67

16.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.82

$0.75 R$3.86

-1.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.14

$0.63 R$3.25

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.20

$2.09 R$10.77

3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 R$44.87

$7.60 R$39.22

14.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.73

$1.25 R$6.48

-11.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 R$11.84

$2.05 R$10.59

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$5.04

$0.94 R$4.85

4.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.49 R$230

$38.61 R$199

15.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 R$4.94

$1.05 R$5.42

-8.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.09

$0.74 R$3.83

6.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$30.08

$6.55 R$33.78

-10.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.62

$1.02 R$5.29

6.86%

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

$25.4K R$131.1K

$20.5K R$105.7K

24.04%

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

$28.7K R$148.0K

$27.5K R$142.0K

4.17%

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

$71.9 R$371

$61.1 R$315

17.77%

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

$13.41 R$69.2

$13.70 R$70.7

-2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.39 R$105

$18.93 R$97.7

7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 R$131

$22.66 R$117

12.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.95 R$113

$21.22 R$110

3.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 R$36.61

$6.45 R$33.27

9.92%

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

$487 R$2,513

$272 R$1,402

79.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$78.2K

$6,411 R$33.1K

136.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 R$299

$48.65 R$251

19.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.81 R$216

$41.72 R$215

0.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 R$353

$75.2 R$388

-9.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$336

$65.2 R$336

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,124

$164 R$849

150.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 R$1,348

$115 R$595

126.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 R$5,044

$300 R$1,550

225.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,873

$228 R$1,175

144.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,523 R$13.0K

$1,645 R$8,488

53.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,737 R$8,964

$1,021 R$5,269

70.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,787

$595 R$3,070

55.93%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Ilheus: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $164 in Ilheus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 56% 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 $27.00 in Ilheus. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $200, 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 Ilheus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Ilheus differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $701 including rent). Ilheus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 56% 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 $164 in Ilheus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ilheus – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Brasilia versus $701 in Ilheus – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Ilheus 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 Ilheus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.