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: $866 in Brasilia versus $740 in Nova Friburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,220 in Nova Friburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,700 in Nova Friburgo.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 17% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Nova Friburgo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.31

$7.11 R$36.22

3.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$204

$32.10 R$163

24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.45

$5.82 R$29.65

9.45%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.56

$1.91 R$9.71

-1.57%

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

$1.18 R$6.01

$0.77 R$3.93

53.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.38

$0.48 R$2.46

79.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.33

$1.67 R$8.51

9.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.82

$2.65 R$13.51

24.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.08

$0.91 R$4.64

9.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.19

$1.78 R$9.04

-9.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.20

$1.43 R$7.29

-1.40%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.77

$1.96 R$9.97

8.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.40

$8.15 R$41.52

16.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.75

$3.65 R$18.56

-9.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.24

$8.18 R$41.65

-15.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.30

$1.46 R$7.42

38.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.57 R$7.99

-10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.46 R$7.44

-21.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.57 R$7.99

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.25 R$6.35

-1.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.56

$1.11 R$5.66

16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.64 R$3.26

15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.33

$0.57 R$2.88

14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.18

$1.97 R$10.02

11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.52

$5.97 R$30.41

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.49

$1.21 R$6.18

-10.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.48

$2.10 R$10.70

7.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.97

$0.85 R$4.31

15.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$225

$38.82 R$198

13.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.85

$1.11 R$5.66

-14.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.04

$0.43 R$2.21

83.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.40

$5.91 R$30.10

-2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.71

$1.07 R$5.46

4.67%

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

$24.7K R$125.9K

$13.9K R$70.9K

77.54%

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

$29.3K R$149.2K

$24.6K R$125.3K

19.09%

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

$71.2 R$363

$36.76 R$187

93.74%

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

$13.29 R$67.7

$8.79 R$44.77

51.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$16.82 R$85.7

23.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$20.14 R$103

26.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$110

$21.97 R$112

-1.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$35.97

$6.36 R$32.36

11.16%

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

$480 R$2,444

$544 R$2,770

-11.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.7K

$11.5K R$58.4K

33.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$293

$44.57 R$227

29.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$208

$41.58 R$212

-1.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$345

$63.5 R$323

6.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$327

$61.7 R$314

4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,081

$310 R$1,577

31.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,304

$214 R$1,089

19.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,916

$576 R$2,934

67.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,819

$428 R$2,180

29.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.7K

$1,530 R$7,789

63.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,561

$789 R$4,016

113.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,775

$499 R$2,540

87.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.33

4.77%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $310 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 88% 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 $32.00 in Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $176 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 17% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $740 including rent). Nova Friburgo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 88% 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: $409 in Brasilia versus $310 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nova Friburgo – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $740 in Nova Friburgo – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.