Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Imbituba Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Imbituba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $817 in Imbituba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,296 in Imbituba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,775 in Imbituba.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 17% more expensive than in Imbituba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Imbituba 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.14

$4.69 R$24.06

83.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$29.41 R$151

32.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.98

$6.81 R$34.89

17.47%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.04

$1.93 R$9.89

32.12%

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

$1.45 R$7.44

$1.09 R$5.58

33.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.46 R$2.34

108.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$2.37 R$12.13

-4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$2.27 R$11.64

71.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.92 R$4.70

16.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.13 R$5.80

80.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$0.83 R$4.26

51.81%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.21 R$11.33

10.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$7.86 R$40.28

53.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.81

$3.18 R$16.27

27.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.24

$6.67 R$34.17

23.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$1.51 R$7.73

54.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$0.80 R$4.10

77.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$1.13 R$5.81

12.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$0.80 R$4.12

106.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$0.78 R$4.01

48.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.23 R$6.31

-17.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.25

$1.42 R$7.27

-41.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$0.93 R$4.76

5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$3.17 R$16.25

-24.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$9.03 R$46.29

-11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.12 R$5.76

16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$3.08 R$15.80

-22.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.84 R$4.28

9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

$45.16 R$231

-22.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.97 R$10.11

-46.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.37

$1.56 R$7.98

-45.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.57

$9.80 R$50.2

-39.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.22 R$6.23

4.92%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$23.8K R$121.9K

-4.94%

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

$32.1K R$164.4K

$31.6K R$161.8K

1.66%

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

$91.1 R$467

$57.6 R$295

57.99%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$10.84 R$55.6

14.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$20.43 R$105

10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$25.33 R$130

24.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

$24.86 R$127

5.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.25

$8.41 R$43.11

-6.54%

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

$813 R$4,167

$312 R$1,598

160.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$6,302 R$32.3K

158.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$44.02 R$226

18.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$90.4 R$463

-51.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$85.5 R$438

-3.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$66.8 R$342

29.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,563

$339 R$1,738

47.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$232 R$1,186

14.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,805

$670 R$3,432

69.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,878

$394 R$2,018

42.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

$1,406 R$7,204

71.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,736

$1,038 R$5,320

64.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,488

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

10.5

12.38%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Imbituba: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $339 in Imbituba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $29.00 in Imbituba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $165 per month, with Imbituba 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 Imbituba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Imbituba differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $817 including rent). Imbituba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,435 in Brasilia and $1,226 in Imbituba 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: $500 in Brasilia versus $339 in Imbituba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Imbituba – a meal for two runs $29.00 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 $817 in Imbituba – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $817 in Imbituba versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imbituba but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Imbituba 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 Imbituba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.