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: $974 in Brasilia versus $838 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,274 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,710 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 16% more expensive than in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Jaboatão dos Guararapes 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$5.72 R$29.48

52.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$28.65 R$148

33.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$7.74 R$39.86

4.91%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$1.54 R$7.93

66.88%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.04 R$5.34

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.58 R$3.00

67.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$1.52 R$7.81

51.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$3.07 R$15.83

23.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.19 R$6.15

-10.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$2.03 R$10.45

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.51 R$7.78

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$2.01 R$10.35

21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$7.81 R$40.24

49.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$4.32 R$22.28

-5.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$7.76 R$39.99

9.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$1.37 R$7.08

75.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$0.99 R$5.08

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$0.78 R$4.00

67.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.19 R$6.14

35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$1.40 R$7.21

-13.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$1.05 R$5.38

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.50 R$2.59

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.82 R$4.25

21.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$2.99 R$15.42

-20.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$7.97 R$41.08

1.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.14 R$5.86

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$1.52 R$7.85

53.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$0.83 R$4.27

25.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$42.07 R$217

-17.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.20 R$6.16

-14.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$0.77 R$3.96

19.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$3.17 R$16.33

100.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.28 R$6.58

0.78%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$23.3K R$119.9K

0.27%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$32.7K R$168.6K

-0.48%

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

$95.0 R$489

$114 R$588

-16.82%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$13.05 R$67.2

-5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$17.52 R$90.3

27.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$25.74 R$133

21.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$25.77 R$133

4.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$10.00 R$51.5

-21.50%

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

$811 R$4,177

$276 R$1,423

193.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$6,330 R$32.6K

160.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$43.58 R$225

18.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$49.73 R$256

-11.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$75.4 R$388

10.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$73.8 R$380

16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$335 R$1,725

43.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$203 R$1,044

29.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$653 R$3,367

69.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$337 R$1,737

64.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$1,842 R$9,492

35.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,295 R$6,671

31.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$301 R$1,552

168.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.75

3.15%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Jaboatão dos Guararapes: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $335 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 169% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $29.00 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $179 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 16% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $838 including rent). Jaboatão dos Guararapes is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 169% 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $335 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 $29.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $838 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $838 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jaboatão dos Guararapes but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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 Jaboatão dos Guararapes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.