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: $863 in Brasilia versus $685 in Natal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,093 in Natal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,501 in Natal.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 26% 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

$7.42 R$37.67

$5.07 R$25.70

46.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$198

$27.96 R$142

39.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.14

$6.44 R$32.68

-4.66%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.75

$1.77 R$8.98

8.47%

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

$1.18 R$5.97

$0.87 R$4.44

35.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.53 R$2.71

56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.04

$1.40 R$7.10

27.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$16.91

$2.13 R$10.82

56.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.83

$1.10 R$5.56

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.27

$1.26 R$6.42

29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$1.00 R$5.09

46.00%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.56

$1.92 R$9.76

8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$47.71

$6.58 R$33.40

42.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.20

$3.68 R$18.69

-7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.05

$7.10 R$36.03

-5.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.13 R$10.78

-9.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.93

$0.86 R$4.34

58.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$0.87 R$4.44

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.49

$1.17 R$5.95

42.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.00 R$5.06

24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.03 R$5.25

27.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.73

$0.51 R$2.57

43.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.52 R$2.64

28.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.03

$1.65 R$8.37

31.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.91

$7.87 R$39.92

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.60

$1.19 R$6.04

-7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.59

$1.60 R$8.10

42.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$0.77 R$3.91

25.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$220

$30.11 R$153

43.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.82

$0.88 R$4.45

7.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.48 R$2.45

64.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.59

$3.68 R$18.65

58.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.03 R$5.24

10.68%

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

$25.2K R$127.9K

$16.5K R$83.6K

53.13%

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

$29.2K R$148.0K

$21.5K R$109.3K

35.42%

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

$71.8 R$364

$43.71 R$222

64.17%

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

$13.11 R$66.5

$15.68 R$79.6

-16.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$104

$16.57 R$84.1

23.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$127

$21.07 R$107

18.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$109

$28.69 R$146

-24.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.27

$6.65 R$33.76

10.38%

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

$485 R$2,462

$117 R$596

313.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.1K

$4,297 R$21.8K

253.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$295

$42.73 R$217

35.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$213

$42.71 R$217

-1.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$344

$68.5 R$347

-1.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$326

$72.7 R$369

-11.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,031

$304 R$1,544

31.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,330

$168 R$853

55.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,788

$566 R$2,873

66.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,825

$344 R$1,745

61.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.5K

$1,375 R$6,980

79.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,762

$871 R$4,422

98.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,665

$405 R$2,057

126.76%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Natal: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $304 in Natal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 127% 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 $28.00 in Natal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $158 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 26% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $685 including rent). Natal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 127% 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: $400 in Brasilia versus $304 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $685 in Natal – a 26% 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 26% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.