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: $974 in Brasilia versus $848 in Jacareí.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,393 in Jacareí.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,937 in Jacareí.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 15% more expensive than in Jacareí, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Jacareí 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.66

$6.99 R$35.84

24.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$195

$30.97 R$159

23.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.61

$6.99 R$35.84

16.17%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.15

$2.15 R$11.02

19.53%

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

$1.44 R$7.36

$1.59 R$8.17

-9.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.89 R$4.56

8.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.82

$2.59 R$13.29

-10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.37

$2.85 R$14.59

32.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.50

$1.22 R$6.27

-12.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.72

$1.80 R$9.24

16.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.76

$1.14 R$5.84

15.79%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.0

$8.56 R$43.86

36.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.84

$4.31 R$22.11

-5.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.43

$9.60 R$49.18

-11.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.44 R$12.48

-1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.31

$1.84 R$9.41

-22.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.72

$1.80 R$9.25

-27.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.26

$1.75 R$8.99

-8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.21

$1.28 R$6.57

-5.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.26 R$6.47

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.09

$0.99 R$5.07

-19.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.11

$0.77 R$3.96

29.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.27

$2.36 R$12.08

1.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.54

$7.66 R$39.26

5.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.60

$1.68 R$8.60

-23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$11.99

$2.97 R$15.22

-21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.35

$0.91 R$4.66

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$48.26 R$247

-27.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.26

$1.29 R$6.61

-20.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$1.33 R$6.79

-30.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.54

$9.39 R$48.11

-32.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.21 R$6.23

6.61%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.4K R$120.0K

-0.34%

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

$32.6K R$166.9K

$32.4K R$166.0K

0.55%

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

$95.0 R$487

$44.45 R$228

113.68%

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

$12.28 R$62.9

$11.76 R$60.3

4.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$21.95 R$112

2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$24.79 R$127

26.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$138

$23.59 R$121

14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.22

$7.83 R$40.14

0.26%

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

$811 R$4,154

$273 R$1,398

197.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.7K

$7,541 R$38.6K

119.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$265

$53.8 R$276

-3.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$224

$37.19 R$191

17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$426

$93.1 R$477

-10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$439

$59.4 R$304

44.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,461

$368 R$1,884

30.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,340

$241 R$1,236

8.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,688

$674 R$3,455

64.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,850

$433 R$2,218

28.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,845 R$9,454

35.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,747

$1,004 R$5,147

69.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,147

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 13, 2026

Last update for Jacareí: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $368 in Jacareí. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $31.00 in Jacareí for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $209 per month, with Jacareí 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 Jacareí: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Jacareí differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $848 including rent). Jacareí is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,461 in Brasilia and $1,272 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $368 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 $31.00 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 $848 in Jacareí – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $848 in Jacareí versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jacareí but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Jacareí 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 Jacareí gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.