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: $957 in Brasilia versus $892 in Lages.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,443 in Lages.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,993 in Lages.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 7% more expensive than in Lages, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Lages 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.14

$7.89 R$40.44

9.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$38.04 R$195

2.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.98

$6.72 R$34.43

19.05%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.04

$2.64 R$13.51

-3.41%

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

$1.45 R$7.44

$1.40 R$7.16

3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.94

$1.01 R$5.18

-4.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$2.35 R$12.06

-3.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$2.92 R$14.97

33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.94 R$4.80

13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.61 R$8.27

26.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.06 R$5.42

18.87%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.51 R$12.87

-2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$10.17 R$52.1

18.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.81

$4.51 R$23.11

-9.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.24

$9.43 R$48.33

-12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$2.43 R$12.45

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.38 R$7.07

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$1.36 R$6.96

-6.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.55 R$7.92

6.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.16 R$5.96

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.06 R$5.41

-4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.25

$0.83 R$4.26

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$0.87 R$4.45

12.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$2.44 R$12.52

-2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$7.77 R$39.83

2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.08 R$5.52

20.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.13 R$10.93

12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.93 R$4.77

-1.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

$39.85 R$204

-11.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.28 R$6.57

-17.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.37

$0.78 R$3.99

8.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.57

$8.08 R$41.38

-26.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.25 R$6.43

2.40%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$22.6K R$115.7K

0.21%

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

$32.1K R$164.4K

$32.2K R$165.1K

-0.41%

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

$91.1 R$467

$73.4 R$376

24.13%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$11.92 R$61.1

4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$21.04 R$108

7.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$25.10 R$129

25.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

$28.75 R$147

-8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.25

$6.79 R$34.80

15.76%

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

$813 R$4,167

$292 R$1,495

178.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$7,440 R$38.1K

119.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$49.42 R$253

5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$55.8 R$286

-21.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$99.1 R$508

-16.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$74.8 R$383

15.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,563

$332 R$1,700

50.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$233 R$1,192

14.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,805

$623 R$3,194

81.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,878

$498 R$2,552

12.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

$1,391 R$7,128

73.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,736

$1,246 R$6,383

36.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,488

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

11.5

2.61%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Lages: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $332 in Lages. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $38.00 in Lages for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $199 per month, with Lages 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 Lages: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Lages differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $892 including rent). Lages is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,435 in Brasilia and $1,338 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: $500 in Brasilia versus $332 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 $38.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $957 per month in Brasilia versus $892 in Lages – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Lages versus $957 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lages but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Lages 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 Lages gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.