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: $969 in Brasilia versus $728 in Itu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Brasilia versus $1,343 in Itu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,132 in Brasilia versus $1,958 in Itu.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 33% more expensive than in Itu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Itu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 R$45.75

$5.34 R$27.38

67.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 R$199

$38.20 R$196

1.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 R$43.54

$6.30 R$32.28

34.76%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.24

$1.88 R$9.63

37.23%

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

$1.41 R$7.22

$0.74 R$3.80

90.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.50 R$2.54

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$12.07

$2.45 R$12.55

-3.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 R$19.83

$4.78 R$24.52

-19.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.53

$1.04 R$5.31

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.43

$1.43 R$7.33

41.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.14 R$5.86

12.28%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$2.59 R$13.29

-6.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 R$60.6

$8.70 R$44.61

35.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R$21.09

$3.77 R$19.30

9.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.47

$5.68 R$29.12

49.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 R$12.39

$1.70 R$8.72

42.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.37 R$7.02

6.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.55

$0.75 R$3.85

70.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.45

$1.73 R$8.86

-4.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$0.93 R$4.75

24.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.32 R$6.79

-18.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.76 R$3.89

3.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.85

$0.49 R$2.53

93.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.29

$2.67 R$13.67

-10.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 R$42.17

$5.64 R$28.90

45.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.65 R$8.48

-26.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.02

$2.85 R$14.59

-17.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.93 R$4.75

7.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$180

$42.88 R$220

-18.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.97 R$4.98

10.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$1.00 R$5.14

-8.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$30.99

$9.37 R$48.04

-35.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.73

$0.95 R$4.86

37.89%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.4K R$119.7K

-0.11%

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

$31.9K R$163.6K

$26.9K R$137.9K

18.68%

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

$96.4 R$494

$43.80 R$225

120.16%

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

$12.61 R$64.6

$11.75 R$60.2

7.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$112

$16.37 R$83.9

33.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$159

$25.27 R$130

22.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$138

$26.18 R$134

3.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.38

$4.76 R$24.42

61.34%

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

$822 R$4,214

$418 R$2,142

96.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$84.3K

$7,279 R$37.3K

125.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$265

$47.33 R$243

9.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.32 R$222

$38.73 R$199

11.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 R$427

$68.4 R$351

21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R$443

$47.74 R$245

81.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,453

$307 R$1,574

55.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,322

$193 R$989

33.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 R$5,719

$765 R$3,922

45.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,855

$633 R$3,246

-12.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

$1,600 R$8,201

53.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,962

$1,106 R$5,671

58.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,327

$285 R$1,460

196.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.12

8.99%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Itu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Brasilia and $307 in Itu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 196% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $38.00 in Itu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $170 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 33% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $728 including rent). Itu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 196% higher in Brasilia, 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: $479 in Brasilia versus $307 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 $38.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Brasilia versus $728 in Itu – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $728 in Itu versus $969 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Itu but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Itu 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 Itu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.