Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Jaboatão dos Guararapes Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Jaboatão dos Guararapes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Brasilia versus $710 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,152 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,594 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 21% more expensive than Jaboatão dos Guararapes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Jaboatão dos Guararapes 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.12

$5.72 R$28.61

22.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$194

$28.36 R$142

37.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.64

$6.33 R$31.70

-0.16%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.80

$1.78 R$8.89

10.11%

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

$1.18 R$5.89

$0.87 R$4.34

35.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.30

$0.49 R$2.44

75.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.28

$1.46 R$7.29

26.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$15.89

$2.13 R$10.65

49.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.98

$1.10 R$5.50

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$7.99

$1.38 R$6.89

15.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.06

$1.06 R$5.30

33.02%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.19

$1.84 R$9.23

10.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.31

$7.04 R$35.25

34.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.01

$3.56 R$17.81

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.21

$7.60 R$38.03

-7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.82

$2.22 R$11.10

-11.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.02

$0.94 R$4.70

48.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.02

$0.93 R$4.63

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.29

$1.16 R$5.82

43.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.20

$1.29 R$6.46

-3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.53

$1.01 R$5.04

29.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.54 R$2.72

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.15

$0.53 R$2.63

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.66

$1.25 R$6.23

70.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.16

$7.97 R$39.90

13.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.53

$1.15 R$5.77

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$11.95

$2.47 R$12.38

-3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.15

$0.73 R$3.64

41.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$222

$40.83 R$204

8.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.72

$1.11 R$5.55

-15.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.03

$0.62 R$3.13

30.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$27.88

$3.56 R$17.81

56.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.61

$1.10 R$5.51

1.82%

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

$25.0K R$125.2K

$16.4K R$82.1K

52.41%

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

$29.1K R$145.7K

$30.4K R$152.0K

-4.17%

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

$72.2 R$361

$43.78 R$219

64.98%

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

$13.08 R$65.5

$15.32 R$76.7

-14.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$102

$16.48 R$82.5

23.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$125

$22.89 R$115

9.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$107

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.42

$6.87 R$34.40

3.06%

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

$488 R$2,444

$118 R$589

315.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.0K

$6,359 R$31.8K

135.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$292

$59.7 R$299

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$210

$51.3 R$257

-18.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$349

$84.4 R$422

-17.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$327

$75.9 R$380

-14.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,040

$317 R$1,585

28.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,302

$166 R$833

56.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,747

$576 R$2,881

64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,811

$311 R$1,555

80.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.7K

$1,610 R$8,056

57.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,576

$1,086 R$5,437

57.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,235

$267 R$1,336

216.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

-1.08%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Jaboatão dos Guararapes: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $317 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 217% 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 $28.00 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $165 per month, with Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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 Jaboatão dos Guararapes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Jaboatão dos Guararapes differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $710 including rent). Jaboatão dos Guararapes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 217% 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $317 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jaboatão dos Guararapes – 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 $862 per month in Brasilia versus $710 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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 Jaboatão dos Guararapes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.