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: $863 in Brasilia versus $784 in Imbituba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Brasilia versus $1,231 in Imbituba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Brasilia versus $1,678 in Imbituba.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 10% more expensive than in Imbituba, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Imbituba 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 R$36.53

$5.41 R$27.38

33.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 R$198

$27.50 R$139

42.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.22

$6.48 R$32.78

-1.70%

Cappuccino

$1.86 R$9.41

$1.80 R$9.08

3.33%

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

$1.17 R$5.90

$1.09 R$5.49

7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.66 R$3.36

31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.91

$1.77 R$8.93

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.00

$2.72 R$13.74

16.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.71

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 R$8.36

$1.51 R$7.63

9.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.49

$1.17 R$5.93

26.50%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$1.95 R$9.85

3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.83

$8.06 R$40.75

14.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R$17.24

$3.69 R$18.67

-7.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 R$34.86

$7.12 R$36.03

-3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.26

$2.13 R$10.80

-4.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.29 R$6.54

6.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.85

$1.20 R$6.05

-3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.18

$1.52 R$7.71

6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.20 R$6.07

2.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.50

$1.07 R$5.40

20.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.80

$0.75 R$3.79

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.08

$0.63 R$3.18

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.11 R$10.69

2.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.78

$9.63 R$48.71

-16.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.59

$1.27 R$6.41

-12.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$1.99 R$10.06

14.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.92

$0.88 R$4.46

10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 R$222

$38.88 R$197

12.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.07

$1.11 R$5.62

-9.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R$4.07

$0.74 R$3.75

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.80

$6.42 R$32.48

-11.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.08 R$5.48

0.93%

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

$25.3K R$128.2K

$21.1K R$106.7K

20.11%

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

$28.5K R$144.2K

$27.9K R$141.2K

2.12%

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

$70.2 R$355

$60.0 R$304

16.97%

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

$13.06 R$66.1

$13.44 R$68.0

-2.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 R$101

$18.51 R$93.6

8.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$125

$22.28 R$113

10.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$110

$21.21 R$107

2.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 R$36.60

$6.23 R$31.54

16.21%

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

$485 R$2,453

$272 R$1,374

78.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$76.4K

$6,589 R$33.3K

129.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R$290

$49.40 R$250

15.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$213

$42.89 R$217

-1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$344

$75.1 R$380

-9.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R$321

$63.4 R$321

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,082

$320 R$1,618

28.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,329

$216 R$1,094

21.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 R$4,920

$588 R$2,975

65.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 R$2,846

$431 R$2,181

30.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 R$12.7K

$1,619 R$8,191

54.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 R$8,829

$1,203 R$6,087

45.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,694

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Imbituba: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $320 in Imbituba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $27.00 in Imbituba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $178 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 10% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $784 including rent). Imbituba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,294 in Brasilia and $1,177 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: $412 in Brasilia versus $320 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $784 in Imbituba – a 10% 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 10% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.