Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Manaus Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Manaus

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $886 in Manaus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,399 in Manaus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,913 in Manaus.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 10% more expensive than in Manaus, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Manaus 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$5.70 R$29.39

52.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$27.35 R$141

39.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$6.69 R$34.46

21.38%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$2.28 R$11.73

12.72%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.05 R$5.43

37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.78 R$4.04

24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$2.68 R$13.78

-13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$5.28 R$27.21

-28.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.38 R$7.12

-22.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$1.55 R$7.98

34.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.26 R$6.49

4.76%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$2.59 R$13.32

-5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$9.71 R$50.0

20.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$3.81 R$19.65

6.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$7.03 R$36.23

20.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.33 R$12.00

3.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$1.63 R$8.40

-12.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.42 R$7.31

-7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.97 R$10.14

-18.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$1.20 R$6.18

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.74 R$3.80

8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.63 R$3.25

58.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$3.61 R$18.61

-33.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$8.78 R$45.22

-7.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.41 R$7.27

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$1.63 R$8.40

43.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$0.87 R$4.50

19.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$38.18 R$197

-8.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$0.95 R$4.88

8.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$0.84 R$4.34

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$9.58 R$49.37

-33.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.32 R$6.81

-2.27%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$23.2K R$119.5K

0.62%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$32.0K R$164.8K

1.85%

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

$95.0 R$489

$115 R$591

-17.24%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$15.37 R$79.2

-20.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$24.52 R$126

-8.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$25.29 R$130

24.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$24.22 R$125

11.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$6.20 R$31.97

26.61%

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

$811 R$4,177

$219 R$1,127

270.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$5,047 R$26.0K

227.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$49.48 R$255

4.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$31.09 R$160

40.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$58.4 R$301

42.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$69.0 R$356

24.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$620 R$3,196

-22.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$210 R$1,081

24.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$924 R$4,762

20.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$477 R$2,459

16.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$1,700 R$8,756

46.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,293 R$6,662

32.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$517 R$2,663

56.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

10.33

17.33%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manaus: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $620 in Manaus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 57% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $27.00 in Manaus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $195 per month, with Manaus 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 Manaus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Manaus differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $886 including rent). Manaus is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Brasilia, 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $620 in Manaus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $886 in Manaus – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $886 in Manaus versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manaus but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Manaus 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 Manaus 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.