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: $870 in Brasilia versus $777 in Imbituba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,223 in Imbituba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,669 in Imbituba.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 12% more expensive than Imbituba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Imbituba 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$5.33 R$26.51

34.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$27.14 R$135

47.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$6.19 R$30.77

4.36%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.78 R$8.82

8.43%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.13 R$5.59

7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.61 R$3.02

34.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.78 R$8.85

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.62 R$13.03

26.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.00 R$4.96

1.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.51 R$7.51

7.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.13 R$5.63

27.43%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$1.94 R$9.64

8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.22 R$40.88

9.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$3.71 R$18.46

-10.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$7.16 R$35.56

-6.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.07 R$10.29

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.30 R$6.45

4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.16 R$5.76

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.49 R$7.42

8.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.20 R$5.96

3.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.07 R$5.30

20.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.65 R$3.24

-4.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.18 R$10.81

-3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$8.15 R$40.51

22.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.27 R$6.33

-16.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$1.99 R$9.91

18.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.93 R$4.62

2.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.96 R$194

11.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$1.11 R$5.51

-9.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.70 R$3.48

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$6.46 R$32.11

-11.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.05 R$5.21

7.62%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$20.4K R$101.3K

24.78%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$27.7K R$137.8K

4.87%

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

$71.6 R$356

$60.7 R$302

18.05%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$13.63 R$67.7

-1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$19.12 R$95.0

7.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.77 R$113

11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.32 R$106

2.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$6.39 R$31.75

11.74%

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

$483 R$2,402

$266 R$1,320

82.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,374 R$31.7K

140.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$49.35 R$245

18.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$41.30 R$205

0.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$76.1 R$378

-10.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$63.8 R$317

1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$310 R$1,540

31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$212 R$1,053

19.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$582 R$2,891

65.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$424 R$2,105

32.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,679 R$8,345

59.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,213 R$6,027

48.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

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 21, 2026

Last update for Imbituba: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $310 in Imbituba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Brasilia vs $27 in Imbituba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $176 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 12% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $777 including rent). Imbituba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,306 in Brasilia and $1,165 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: $407 in Brasilia versus $310 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 $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 $870 per month in Brasilia versus $777 in Imbituba – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Imbituba 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 Imbituba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.