Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Joinville Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Joinville

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $880 in Brasilia versus $787 in Joinville.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Brasilia versus $1,295 in Joinville.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Brasilia versus $1,802 in Joinville.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 12% more expensive than Joinville, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 34% lower, Joinville 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 R$35.81

$7.38 R$36.73

-2.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 R$198

$36.27 R$181

9.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.07

$6.44 R$32.05

-3.11%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.35

$1.41 R$7.01

33.33%

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

$1.16 R$5.80

$0.94 R$4.66

23.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.36

$0.65 R$3.25

33.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.08

$2.76 R$13.76

-34.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 R$16.35

$2.47 R$12.29

32.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.63

$0.88 R$4.38

5.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.07

$1.24 R$6.18

30.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.01

$0.83 R$4.13

69.88%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.50 R$12.44

-16.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 R$46.27

$7.05 R$35.11

31.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 R$16.48

$3.08 R$15.33

7.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R$34.12

$8.00 R$39.85

-14.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 R$9.96

$1.30 R$6.48

53.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.69

$1.12 R$5.58

19.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.05

$1.18 R$5.88

3.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.33

$1.38 R$6.86

21.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.11

$1.16 R$5.78

6.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.48

$0.88 R$4.38

47.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.70

$1.02 R$5.08

-27.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.06

$0.71 R$3.52

-14.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.85

$2.85 R$14.18

-23.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 R$50.3

$9.53 R$47.48

5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.54

$0.99 R$4.94

12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R$11.72

$3.00 R$14.96

-21.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.11

$1.02 R$5.06

0.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 R$217

$50.1 R$249

-12.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.70

$1.85 R$9.19

-49.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$3.93

$1.01 R$5.03

-21.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 R$28.97

$8.58 R$42.71

-32.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.66

$1.04 R$5.17

9.62%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$24.1K R$120.0K

5.33%

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

$28.2K R$140.6K

$29.0K R$144.7K

-2.80%

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

$69.9 R$348

$52.9 R$263

32.19%

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

$13.04 R$64.9

$13.14 R$65.5

-0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.00 R$99.6

$20.43 R$102

-2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$124

$22.81 R$114

9.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.77 R$108

$21.81 R$109

-0.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 R$34.84

$7.43 R$37.00

-5.79%

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

$488 R$2,430

$274 R$1,365

77.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$74.5K

$5,583 R$27.8K

167.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$289

$45.27 R$225

28.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 R$209

$73.3 R$365

-42.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 R$344

$82.3 R$410

-15.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 R$319

$59.5 R$296

7.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 R$2,003

$278 R$1,384

44.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,309

$207 R$1,030

27.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 R$4,871

$564 R$2,807

73.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,808

$410 R$2,040

37.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,751 R$13.7K

$1,919 R$9,557

43.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 R$9,042

$1,283 R$6,389

41.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 R$3,794

$682 R$3,397

11.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.2

16.37%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 26, 2026

Last update for Joinville: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Brasilia and $278 in Joinville. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 12% 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: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $36.00 in Joinville for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $168 per month, with Joinville 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 Joinville: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Joinville differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $787 including rent). Joinville is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 12% 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: $402 in Brasilia versus $278 in Joinville. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Joinville – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $880 per month in Brasilia versus $787 in Joinville – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Joinville 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 Joinville gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.