Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Nova Friburgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Nova Friburgo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $584 in Nova Friburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $982 in Nova Friburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,379 in Nova Friburgo.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 64% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Nova Friburgo 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$43.93

$5.92 R$30.21

45.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$28.69 R$146

36.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.79

$6.36 R$32.44

25.79%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.98

$1.65 R$8.40

54.55%

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

$1.45 R$7.40

$0.91 R$4.63

59.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.51 R$2.62

88.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.52

$1.19 R$6.07

89.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.85

$2.29 R$11.66

69.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$0.93 R$4.75

15.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.40

$1.46 R$7.45

39.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.32 R$6.71

-4.55%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.45

$1.88 R$9.58

29.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.5

$8.92 R$45.51

35.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.72

$3.27 R$16.68

24.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.05

$9.58 R$48.83

-13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.96

$1.57 R$8.01

49.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.24

$1.11 R$5.64

27.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$0.95 R$4.82

33.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.44

$1.25 R$6.35

32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.90

$0.67 R$3.44

73.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$0.79 R$4.02

27.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.54 R$2.76

53.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$0.79 R$4.02

24.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.16

$1.53 R$7.79

56.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.75

$5.72 R$29.17

39.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.64

$0.94 R$4.79

38.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.22

$1.32 R$6.74

81.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.67

$0.98 R$5.01

-6.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.36

$1.14 R$5.79

-7.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.49 R$2.51

73.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.43

$6.60 R$33.67

-9.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.53

$1.22 R$6.24

4.92%

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

$22.6K R$115.4K

$18.6K R$95.1K

21.32%

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

$32.1K R$163.7K

$30.4K R$154.8K

5.72%

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

$91.1 R$464

$39.23 R$200

132.09%

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

$12.43 R$63.4

$9.23 R$47.05

34.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$115

$18.43 R$94.0

22.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$21.40 R$109

47.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.06

$6.34 R$32.32

23.97%

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

$813 R$4,147

$140 R$714

480.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.2K

$2,496 R$12.7K

553.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$266

$68.6 R$350

-23.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$223

$81.1 R$414

-46.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$422

$64.1 R$327

29.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$441

$45.53 R$232

89.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,551

$156 R$795

220.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,357

$96.6 R$493

175.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,778

$390 R$1,990

190.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,865

$228 R$1,163

146.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.3K

$1,523 R$7,766

58.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,695

$770 R$3,929

121.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,467

$488 R$2,487

79.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

10.67

10.59%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 80% 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 $29.00 in Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $167 per month, with Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Nova Friburgo differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $584 including rent). Nova Friburgo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 80% 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: $500 in Brasilia versus $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Brasilia versus $140 in Nova Friburgo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nova Friburgo – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $584 in Nova Friburgo versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nova Friburgo but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.