Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Macaé Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Macaé

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Brasilia versus $836 in Macaé.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,343 in Macaé.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,851 in Macaé.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 3% more expensive than Macaé, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Macaé 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.53

$5.64 R$28.57

24.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$197

$34.48 R$175

12.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$32.01

$6.42 R$32.52

-1.56%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.91

$1.89 R$9.55

3.70%

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

$1.18 R$5.96

$1.22 R$6.19

-3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.84 R$4.27

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.39

$1.82 R$9.20

1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.08

$2.12 R$10.76

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.04

$1.05 R$5.33

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.09

$1.64 R$8.31

-2.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.15

$1.29 R$6.53

9.30%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.31

$2.01 R$10.17

1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.87

$7.75 R$39.22

21.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.21

$3.65 R$18.48

-6.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.63

$6.31 R$31.97

11.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.93

$2.43 R$12.30

-19.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.11

$1.23 R$6.25

13.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.09

$1.15 R$5.84

4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.39

$1.38 R$7.01

20.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.28

$1.11 R$5.61

11.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.11 R$5.63

18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.68 R$3.46

19.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.19

$0.46 R$2.34

36.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.78

$1.99 R$10.08

7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.69

$6.03 R$30.56

49.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.59

$0.86 R$4.34

27.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.09

$1.15 R$5.84

107.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.21

$0.69 R$3.51

49.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$225

$74.7 R$378

-40.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.77

$1.11 R$5.64

-15.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.69 R$3.51

17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$28.21

$7.77 R$39.34

-28.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.07 R$5.40

4.67%

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

$25.0K R$126.6K

$18.4K R$93.0K

36.21%

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

$29.1K R$147.4K

$27.6K R$139.8K

5.46%

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

$72.2 R$366

$59.7 R$302

21.01%

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

$13.08 R$66.2

$9.69 R$49.05

34.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$103

$18.73 R$94.8

8.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$126

$38.82 R$197

-35.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$108

$27.30 R$138

-22.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.84

$6.26 R$31.69

13.10%

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

$488 R$2,473

$535 R$2,710

-8.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.9K

$6,559 R$33.2K

128.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$295

$45.28 R$229

28.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$213

$29.29 R$148

43.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$353

$72.2 R$365

-3.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$330

$60.8 R$308

7.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,064

$353 R$1,789

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,318

$230 R$1,163

13.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,803

$660 R$3,343

43.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,845

$502 R$2,541

11.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.9K

$1,243 R$6,293

104.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,678

$784 R$3,972

118.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,285

$780 R$3,948

8.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.25

5.51%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Macaé: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $353 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 9% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $34.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $164 per month, with Macaé 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 Macaé: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Macaé differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $836 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 9% 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $353 in Macaé. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Brasilia versus $836 in Macaé – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Macaé 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 Macaé gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.