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: $974 in Brasilia versus $697 in Natal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,166 in Natal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,635 in Natal.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 40% more expensive than in Natal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Natal 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$5.40 R$27.74

61.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$36.42 R$187

4.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$7.35 R$37.79

10.48%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$2.01 R$10.33

27.86%

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$1.03 R$5.27

39.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.60 R$3.07

61.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$1.52 R$7.84

51.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$2.29 R$11.77

65.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.16 R$5.95

-7.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.15 R$5.93

81.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$1.09 R$5.61

21.10%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$1.86 R$9.57

31.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$7.28 R$37.41

60.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$4.05 R$20.84

0.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$8.01 R$41.16

5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$1.35 R$6.94

77.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$1.01 R$5.21

41.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$0.76 R$3.92

72.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.21 R$6.20

33.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$1.01 R$5.20

19.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$1.08 R$5.56

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.47 R$2.40

70.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.56 R$2.89

78.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$1.71 R$8.81

39.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$7.88 R$40.51

2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$1.14 R$5.86

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$1.53 R$7.87

52.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$0.89 R$4.59

16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$29.71 R$153

17.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$0.95 R$4.90

8.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.55 R$2.83

67.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$3.38 R$17.40

87.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.27 R$6.52

1.57%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$23.0K R$118.1K

1.62%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$31.6K R$162.4K

3.17%

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

$95.0 R$488

$53.6 R$276

77.27%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$13.08 R$67.3

-6.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$17.39 R$89.4

28.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$21.62 R$111

45.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$31.02 R$159

-13.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$7.56 R$38.90

3.84%

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

$811 R$4,169

$109 R$563

640.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$4,609 R$23.7K

258.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$44.02 R$226

17.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$47.64 R$245

-8.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$73.8 R$380

12.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$76.7 R$395

11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$472 R$2,429

1.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$177 R$908

48.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$571 R$2,938

94.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$354 R$1,821

57.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,366 R$7,022

82.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

$858 R$4,411

98.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

$396 R$2,035

104.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.67

3.86%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Natal: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $472 in Natal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 104% 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 $36.00 in Natal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $161 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 40% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $697 including rent). Natal is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 104% 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 $472 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 $36.00 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 $697 in Natal – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Natal versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Natal but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Natal 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 Natal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.