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: $880 in Brasilia versus $675 in Ilheus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Brasilia versus $1,100 in Ilheus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Brasilia versus $1,525 in Ilheus.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 30% more expensive than Ilheus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 34% lower, Ilheus 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 R$35.88

$3.90 R$19.45

84.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 R$198

$27.45 R$137

44.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.13

$6.32 R$31.55

-1.27%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.37

$1.77 R$8.85

6.21%

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

$1.16 R$5.81

$1.12 R$5.60

3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.37

$0.67 R$3.33

29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.10

$1.82 R$9.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 R$16.38

$2.65 R$13.23

23.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.64

$1.01 R$5.06

-7.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.09

$1.46 R$7.29

10.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.02

$1.13 R$5.64

24.78%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.47

$2.02 R$10.06

3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 R$46.36

$17.42 R$86.9

-46.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 R$16.51

$3.56 R$17.77

-7.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R$34.19

$7.40 R$36.92

-7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 R$9.98

$2.08 R$10.37

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.70

$1.31 R$6.52

2.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.06

$1.14 R$5.71

7.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.34

$1.44 R$7.18

15.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.12

$1.19 R$5.96

3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.49

$1.05 R$5.26

23.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.71

$0.70 R$3.51

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.07

$0.67 R$3.33

-8.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.88

$2.07 R$10.33

5.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 R$50.4

$7.47 R$37.30

35.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.55

$1.25 R$6.26

-11.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R$11.74

$2.09 R$10.42

12.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.12

$0.87 R$4.32

18.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 R$218

$38.55 R$192

13.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.71

$1.07 R$5.33

-12.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$3.94

$0.75 R$3.75

5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 R$29.03

$6.45 R$32.21

-9.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.67

$0.99 R$4.95

15.15%

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

$25.4K R$126.6K

$20.9K R$104.5K

21.15%

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

$28.2K R$140.9K

$27.4K R$136.9K

2.92%

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

$69.9 R$349

$59.9 R$299

16.74%

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

$13.04 R$65.1

$13.29 R$66.3

-1.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.00 R$99.8

$19.01 R$94.8

5.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$124

$22.62 R$113

10.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.77 R$109

$21.30 R$106

2.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 R$34.91

$6.21 R$31.01

12.72%

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

$488 R$2,435

$269 R$1,344

81.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$74.6K

$6,575 R$32.8K

127.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$290

$48.57 R$242

19.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 R$209

$42.12 R$210

-0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 R$345

$76.7 R$383

-9.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 R$320

$64.6 R$322

-0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 R$2,007

$167 R$831

141.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,312

$115 R$574

128.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 R$4,881

$312 R$1,557

213.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,813

$222 R$1,106

154.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,751 R$13.7K

$1,676 R$8,362

64.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 R$9,060

$1,178 R$5,876

54.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 R$3,801

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ilheus: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Brasilia and $167 in Ilheus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $27.00 in Ilheus. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 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 Ilheus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Ilheus differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $675 including rent). Ilheus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,320 in Brasilia and $1,013 in Ilheus to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $402 in Brasilia versus $167 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 $880 per month in Brasilia versus $675 in Ilheus – a 30% 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 30% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.