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: $863 in Brasilia versus $782 in Jacareí.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Brasilia versus $1,292 in Jacareí.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Brasilia versus $1,803 in Jacareí.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 10% more expensive than in Jacareí, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Jacareí 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 R$36.53

$6.27 R$31.70

15.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 R$198

$31.91 R$161

22.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.22

$6.87 R$34.78

-7.28%

Cappuccino

$1.86 R$9.41

$1.73 R$8.76

7.51%

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

$1.17 R$5.90

$1.37 R$6.95

-14.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.81 R$4.10

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.91

$1.77 R$8.93

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.00

$2.72 R$13.77

16.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.71

$1.13 R$5.72

-17.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 R$8.36

$1.50 R$7.60

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.49

$1.14 R$5.76

29.82%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$2.28 R$11.52

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.83

$8.21 R$41.55

12.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R$17.24

$3.70 R$18.73

-7.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 R$34.86

$8.61 R$43.57

-19.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.26

$2.10 R$10.62

-3.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.82 R$9.20

-24.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.85

$1.45 R$7.31

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.18

$1.64 R$8.29

-1.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.31 R$6.61

-6.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.50

$1.08 R$5.48

19.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.80

$0.81 R$4.08

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.08

$0.62 R$3.12

-1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$1.84 R$9.33

17.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.78

$7.77 R$39.28

3.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.59

$1.32 R$6.70

-15.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$2.02 R$10.21

12.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.92

$0.86 R$4.32

12.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 R$222

$37.84 R$191

15.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.07

$0.91 R$4.63

9.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R$4.07

$0.62 R$3.13

29.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.80

$7.87 R$39.82

-27.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.06 R$5.35

2.83%

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

$25.3K R$128.2K

$22.0K R$111.4K

15.02%

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

$28.5K R$144.2K

$28.2K R$142.7K

1.03%

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

$70.2 R$355

$47.65 R$241

47.37%

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

$13.06 R$66.1

$15.10 R$76.4

-13.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 R$101

$22.08 R$112

-9.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$125

$22.43 R$113

9.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$110

$21.98 R$111

-0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 R$36.60

$5.42 R$27.42

33.58%

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

$485 R$2,453

$313 R$1,582

55.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$76.4K

$6,971 R$35.3K

116.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R$290

$54.0 R$273

6.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$213

$52.2 R$264

-19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$344

$75.3 R$381

-9.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R$321

$70.8 R$358

-10.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,082

$310 R$1,568

32.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,329

$217 R$1,098

21.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 R$4,920

$587 R$2,972

65.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 R$2,846

$433 R$2,189

29.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 R$12.7K

$1,548 R$7,831

61.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 R$8,829

$1,185 R$5,994

47.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,694

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Jacareí: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $310 in Jacareí. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $32.00 in Jacareí. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $187, 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 10% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $782 including rent). Jacareí is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,294 in Brasilia and $1,173 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: $412 in Brasilia versus $310 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 $32.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $782 in Jacareí – a 10% 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 10% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.