Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Jacareí Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Jacareí

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $781 in Jacareí.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,270 in Jacareí.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,759 in Jacareí.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 11% more expensive than Jacareí, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Jacareí 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$6.11 R$30.38

17.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$32.77 R$163

21.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$6.89 R$34.22

-6.24%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.82 R$9.02

6.04%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.36 R$6.78

-11.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.83 R$4.12

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.75 R$8.71

3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.75 R$13.66

20.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.14 R$5.65

-11.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.50 R$7.43

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.19 R$5.93

21.01%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.31 R$11.50

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.26 R$41.07

9.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$3.89 R$19.36

-14.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$8.30 R$41.26

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.07 R$10.30

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.73 R$8.59

-21.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.37 R$6.82

-15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.59 R$7.88

1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.27 R$6.31

-2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.08 R$5.39

19.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.80 R$4.00

-7.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.64 R$3.19

-3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$1.84 R$9.15

14.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$7.66 R$38.05

30.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.30 R$6.46

-18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$1.98 R$9.86

19.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.93 R$4.62

2.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.12 R$189

14.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$0.86 R$4.25

16.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.63 R$3.11

20.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$7.57 R$37.61

-24.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.06 R$5.27

6.60%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$22.6K R$112.3K

12.58%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$28.3K R$140.7K

2.72%

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

$71.6 R$356

$46.62 R$232

53.63%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$14.82 R$73.7

-9.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$22.42 R$111

-8.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.14 R$110

14.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.65 R$108

1.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$5.48 R$27.21

30.29%

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

$483 R$2,402

$312 R$1,549

55.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,928 R$34.4K

121.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$55.5 R$276

5.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$51.6 R$257

-19.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$75.0 R$373

-9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$71.4 R$355

-9.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$319 R$1,586

27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$214 R$1,061

18.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$572 R$2,845

68.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$433 R$2,151

29.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,849 R$9,189

45.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,275 R$6,337

40.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

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 Jacareí: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $319 in Jacareí. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Brasilia vs $33 in Jacareí. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $186, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jacareí: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Jacareí differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $781 including rent). Jacareí is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,306 in Brasilia and $1,172 in Jacareí 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: $407 in Brasilia versus $319 in Jacareí. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jacareí – 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 $781 in Jacareí – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Jacareí 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 Jacareí gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.