Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Natal Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Natal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Brasilia versus $679 in Natal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,404 in Brasilia versus $1,109 in Natal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,538 in Natal.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 27% more expensive than in Natal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Natal 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$36.24

$4.91 R$25.34

42.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 R$208

$27.67 R$143

45.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.87

$6.11 R$31.55

4.26%

Cappuccino

$1.87 R$9.66

$1.76 R$9.11

6.25%

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

$1.21 R$6.23

$0.84 R$4.33

44.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.52 R$2.68

59.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.41

$1.41 R$7.30

29.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 R$16.52

$2.22 R$11.47

44.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.07

$1.13 R$5.86

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.27

$1.25 R$6.44

28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.42

$1.06 R$5.47

35.85%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.83

$1.83 R$9.43

14.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 R$46.63

$6.44 R$33.21

40.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.47

$3.69 R$19.04

-8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 R$36.03

$6.92 R$35.70

0.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 R$10.07

$2.04 R$10.55

-4.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$7.05

$0.93 R$4.77

47.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.26

$0.80 R$4.13

51.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.22

$1.11 R$5.72

43.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.68

$0.98 R$5.05

31.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.61

$0.99 R$5.12

29.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.82

$0.50 R$2.56

48.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.14

$0.53 R$2.72

15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.20

$1.59 R$8.22

36.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 R$44.87

$8.09 R$41.74

7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.73

$1.19 R$6.16

-6.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 R$11.84

$1.65 R$8.54

38.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$5.04

$0.84 R$4.32

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.49 R$230

$31.03 R$160

43.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.92 R$4.74

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.09

$0.52 R$2.70

51.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$30.08

$3.66 R$18.88

59.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.62

$1.07 R$5.53

1.87%

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

$25.4K R$131.1K

$16.4K R$84.4K

55.19%

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

$28.7K R$148.0K

$22.3K R$114.9K

28.73%

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

$71.9 R$371

$43.47 R$224

65.45%

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

$13.41 R$69.2

$15.25 R$78.7

-12.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.39 R$105

$16.41 R$84.7

24.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 R$131

$20.49 R$106

23.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.95 R$113

$28.61 R$148

-23.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 R$36.61

$6.65 R$34.32

6.62%

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

$487 R$2,513

$117 R$603

316.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$78.2K

$4,253 R$21.9K

256.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 R$299

$42.68 R$220

35.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.81 R$216

$42.18 R$218

-0.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 R$353

$67.5 R$348

1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$336

$71.9 R$371

-9.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,124

$305 R$1,575

34.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 R$1,348

$173 R$895

50.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 R$5,044

$566 R$2,923

72.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,873

$336 R$1,732

65.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,523 R$13.0K

$1,408 R$7,268

79.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,737 R$8,964

$881 R$4,546

97.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,787

$402 R$2,074

130.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

-1.08%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 14, 2026

Last update for Natal: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $305 in Natal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 131% 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 $28.00 in Natal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $157 per month, with Natal 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 Natal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Natal differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $679 including rent). Natal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 131% 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: $412 in Brasilia versus $305 in Natal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Natal – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Brasilia versus $679 in Natal – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Natal 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 Natal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.