Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Lages Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Lages

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $823 in Lages.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,290 in Lages.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,758 in Lages.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 6% more expensive than Lages, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Lages 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$6.21 R$30.89

15.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$26.64 R$132

49.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$6.38 R$31.72

1.25%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.89 R$9.42

2.12%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.13 R$5.60

7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.82 R$4.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$2.11 R$10.49

-14.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$3.52 R$17.51

-5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$0.84 R$4.18

20.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.44 R$7.16

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.05 R$5.22

37.14%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.05 R$10.18

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$10.73 R$53.3

-16.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$4.44 R$22.04

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$9.19 R$45.67

-27.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.05 R$10.20

-1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.26 R$6.28

7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.32 R$6.54

-12.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.47 R$7.29

10.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.10 R$5.47

12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.02 R$5.08

26.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.73 R$3.63

1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.62 R$3.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$1.98 R$9.84

6.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$7.95 R$39.49

25.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.03 R$5.11

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$1.86 R$9.22

26.88%

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

$38.77 R$193

12.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$1.60 R$7.96

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$1.04 R$5.18

-26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$5.31 R$26.41

7.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.11 R$5.51

1.80%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$24.2K R$120.5K

4.93%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$28.1K R$139.4K

3.63%

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

$71.6 R$356

$61.2 R$304

17.10%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$14.54 R$72.2

-7.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$20.27 R$101

1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.35 R$111

13.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.36 R$106

2.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$6.48 R$32.19

10.19%

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

$483 R$2,402

$310 R$1,540

56.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$7,269 R$36.1K

110.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$48.64 R$242

20.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$57.5 R$286

-27.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$80.8 R$402

-15.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$63.2 R$314

2.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$319 R$1,585

27.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$220 R$1,095

15.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$589 R$2,925

63.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$434 R$2,157

29.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,553 R$7,716

72.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,227 R$6,098

46.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

18.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Last update for Lages: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $40 in Brasilia vs $27 in Lages. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $188, 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 Lages: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Lages differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $823 including rent). Lages 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 $1,234 in Lages 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 Lages. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lages – a meal for two runs $27.00 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 $823 in Lages – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Lages 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 Lages gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.