Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Imperatriz Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Imperatriz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $869 in Imperatriz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,355 in Imperatriz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,841 in Imperatriz.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Imperatriz 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$5.97 R$30.70

45.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$34.38 R$177

10.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$7.05 R$36.24

15.18%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$1.89 R$9.74

35.98%

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$1.09 R$5.62

32.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.47 R$2.42

106.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$1.83 R$9.40

26.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$3.28 R$16.85

15.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.27 R$6.51

-15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.53 R$7.89

36.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$1.19 R$6.11

10.92%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$1.90 R$9.76

28.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$10.48 R$53.9

11.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$4.01 R$20.63

1.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$7.65 R$39.36

10.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$2.34 R$12.06

2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$1.25 R$6.42

14.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$1.07 R$5.48

22.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.52 R$7.82

5.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$1.18 R$6.08

2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$1.17 R$5.99

-10.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.72 R$3.69

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.80 R$4.10

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$2.40 R$12.34

-0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$8.08 R$41.56

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$1.26 R$6.46

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$1.85 R$9.51

26.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$0.83 R$4.28

25.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$40.26 R$207

-13.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.26 R$6.49

-18.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.72 R$3.68

27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$7.50 R$38.57

-15.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.20 R$6.16

7.50%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$24.9K R$128.2K

-6.42%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$34.3K R$176.2K

-4.95%

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

$95.0 R$488

$71.1 R$366

33.59%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$10.82 R$55.7

13.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$20.76 R$107

7.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$25.59 R$132

22.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$25.68 R$132

4.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$7.69 R$39.52

2.08%

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

$811 R$4,169

$271 R$1,395

198.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$6,562 R$33.7K

151.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$47.45 R$244

9.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$52.8 R$272

-17.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$91.1 R$468

-8.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$73.4 R$377

16.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$339 R$1,741

41.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$236 R$1,216

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$735 R$3,781

50.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$397 R$2,041

40.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,382 R$7,108

80.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

$1,101 R$5,662

55.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.06

9.58%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Imperatriz: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $339 in Imperatriz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $34.00 in Imperatriz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $190 per month, with Imperatriz 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 Imperatriz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Imperatriz differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $869 including rent). Imperatriz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,461 in Brasilia and $1,304 in Imperatriz 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $339 in Imperatriz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Imperatriz – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $869 in Imperatriz – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Imperatriz versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imperatriz but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Imperatriz 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 Imperatriz 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.