Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Itu Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Itu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $673 in Itu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,245 in Itu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,817 in Itu.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 29% more expensive than Itu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Itu 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$5.26 R$26.15

36.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$33.39 R$166

19.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$5.71 R$28.39

13.13%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.67 R$8.30

15.57%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$0.70 R$3.46

72.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.47 R$2.32

74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.82 R$9.05

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$3.38 R$16.82

-1.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.02 R$5.07

-0.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.38 R$6.85

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.30 R$6.49

10.77%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.31 R$11.50

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.07 R$40.11

11.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$3.52 R$17.49

-5.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$5.24 R$26.04

27.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$1.58 R$7.86

27.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.29 R$6.43

5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$0.69 R$3.44

68.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.52 R$7.53

6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$0.87 R$4.31

42.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.10 R$5.46

17.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.74 R$3.70

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.46 R$2.29

34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.63 R$13.09

-19.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$6.03 R$29.97

65.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.38 R$6.85

-23.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$2.75 R$13.68

-14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.94 R$4.68

1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.02 R$189

14.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$0.92 R$4.58

8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.89 R$4.43

-14.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$8.49 R$42.20

-32.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$0.91 R$4.54

24.18%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$22.5K R$112.1K

12.82%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$25.3K R$125.6K

15.02%

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

$71.6 R$356

$46.58 R$231

53.76%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$10.76 R$53.5

24.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$15.50 R$77.0

32.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.63 R$112

11.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.35 R$106

2.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$4.43 R$21.99

61.17%

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

$483 R$2,402

$311 R$1,546

55.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,849 R$34.0K

123.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$44.51 R$221

31.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$36.42 R$181

14.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$62.2 R$309

9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$45.23 R$225

43.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$284 R$1,409

43.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$179 R$891

41.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$711 R$3,535

35.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$598 R$2,974

-6.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,698 R$8,439

58.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,183 R$5,882

51.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

$295 R$1,468

157.44%

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 Itu: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $284 in Itu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 157% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40 in Brasilia vs $33 in Itu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $160 per month, with Itu 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 Itu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Itu differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $673 including rent). Itu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 157% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $407 in Brasilia versus $284 in Itu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Itu – a meal for two runs $33.00 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 $673 in Itu – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Itu 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 Itu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.