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: $957 in Brasilia versus $781 in Itapema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,251 in Itapema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,722 in Itapema.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 23% more expensive than in Itapema, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Itapema 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.15

$5.25 R$26.92

64.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$28.48 R$146

37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.99

$6.18 R$31.69

29.45%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.05

$1.76 R$9.00

44.89%

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

$0.62 R$3.18

54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$1.76 R$9.03

28.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$2.77 R$14.18

40.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.94 R$4.80

13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.44 R$7.40

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.14 R$5.83

10.53%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.02 R$10.35

20.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$8.10 R$41.49

48.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.82

$3.51 R$17.97

15.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.25

$7.33 R$37.55

12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$2.15 R$11.01

8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.25 R$6.42

13.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$1.14 R$5.82

11.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.50 R$7.67

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.19 R$6.10

-2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.10 R$5.64

-8.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.67 R$3.42

23.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$0.67 R$3.41

46.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$2.11 R$10.79

13.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$7.37 R$37.79

8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.23 R$6.30

5.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.10 R$10.74

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.86 R$4.41

6.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

$39.18 R$201

-10.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.11 R$5.66

-5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.38

$0.75 R$3.86

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.58

$6.41 R$32.86

-6.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.03 R$5.27

24.27%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$20.7K R$106.2K

9.19%

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

$32.1K R$164.5K

$27.8K R$142.3K

15.57%

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

$91.1 R$467

$60.3 R$309

50.94%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$13.37 R$68.5

-7.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$18.52 R$94.9

21.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$22.89 R$117

37.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

$21.37 R$110

23.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.26

$6.31 R$32.36

24.56%

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

$813 R$4,168

$285 R$1,460

185.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$6,545 R$33.5K

149.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$47.79 R$245

9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$42.55 R$218

2.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$74.9 R$384

10.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$64.2 R$329

34.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,564

$317 R$1,623

57.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$219 R$1,121

21.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,806

$572 R$2,932

98.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,879

$424 R$2,171

32.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

$1,462 R$7,492

64.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,738

$1,033 R$5,294

65.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,489

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

10.92

8.06%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Itapema: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $317 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 $209 vs $172 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 23% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $781 including rent). Itapema 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 $1,172 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: $500 in Brasilia versus $317 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 $957 per month in Brasilia versus $781 in Itapema – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $781 in Itapema versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Itapema but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Itapema 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.

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 23% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.