Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Itapema Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Itapema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Brasilia versus $768 in Itapema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Brasilia versus $1,239 in Itapema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Brasilia versus $1,709 in Itapema.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 R$36.53

$5.32 R$26.91

35.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 R$198

$28.18 R$143

38.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.22

$6.34 R$32.07

0.47%

Cappuccino

$1.86 R$9.41

$1.81 R$9.16

2.76%

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

$1.17 R$5.90

$1.09 R$5.50

7.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.61 R$3.09

42.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.91

$1.76 R$8.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.00

$2.63 R$13.30

20.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.95 R$4.83

-2.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 R$8.36

$1.44 R$7.26

14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.49

$1.14 R$5.79

29.82%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$1.94 R$9.80

3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.83

$8.13 R$41.11

13.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R$17.24

$3.51 R$17.76

-2.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 R$34.86

$7.23 R$36.57

-4.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.26

$2.12 R$10.74

-4.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.25 R$6.32

9.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.85

$1.20 R$6.05

-3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.18

$1.49 R$7.55

8.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.14 R$5.75

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.50

$1.06 R$5.36

21.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.80

$0.70 R$3.54

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.08

$0.61 R$3.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.07 R$10.48

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.78

$7.34 R$37.12

9.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.59

$1.19 R$6.02

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$2.08 R$10.53

9.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.92

$0.91 R$4.60

6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 R$222

$38.20 R$193

14.69%

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

$0.77 R$3.88

3.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.80

$6.35 R$32.13

-10.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.04 R$5.27

4.81%

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

$25.3K R$128.2K

$20.5K R$103.5K

23.85%

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

$28.5K R$144.2K

$28.2K R$142.5K

1.16%

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

$70.2 R$355

$59.6 R$302

17.78%

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

$13.06 R$66.1

$13.72 R$69.4

-4.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 R$101

$18.64 R$94.3

7.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$125

$22.85 R$116

7.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$110

$21.54 R$109

1.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 R$36.60

$6.44 R$32.58

12.42%

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

$485 R$2,453

$281 R$1,419

72.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$76.4K

$6,392 R$32.3K

136.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R$290

$46.92 R$237

22.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$213

$41.71 R$211

1.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$344

$76.6 R$388

-11.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R$321

$63.9 R$323

-0.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,082

$313 R$1,583

31.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,329

$218 R$1,105

20.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 R$4,920

$575 R$2,909

69.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 R$2,846

$421 R$2,131

33.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 R$12.7K

$1,438 R$7,273

74.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 R$8,829

$1,043 R$5,278

67.27%

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 Itapema: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $313 in Itapema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $28.00 in Itapema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $171 per month, with Itapema 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 Itapema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Itapema differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $768 including rent). Itapema 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 $1,153 in Itapema 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 $313 in Itapema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Itapema – a meal for two runs $28.00 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 $768 in Itapema – 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 Itapema 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.

Safety-wise, Brasilia and Itapema are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Itapema 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.