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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $718 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,182 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,646 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 33% more expensive than in Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Nova Iguacu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.15

$3.45 R$17.67

149.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$29.36 R$150

33.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.99

$7.56 R$38.73

5.82%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.05

$1.81 R$9.27

40.88%

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

$1.45 R$7.44

$1.19 R$6.08

21.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.53 R$2.70

81.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$1.65 R$8.48

36.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$1.53 R$7.82

154.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.22 R$6.25

-12.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.50 R$7.66

36.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.12 R$5.72

12.50%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$1.94 R$9.95

25.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$8.28 R$42.43

45.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.82

$2.81 R$14.42

44.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.25

$6.85 R$35.11

20.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$1.33 R$6.82

75.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.33 R$6.84

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$0.94 R$4.84

35.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.76 R$9.04

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$0.95 R$4.86

22.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.00 R$5.12

1.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.38 R$1.94

118.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$0.37 R$1.91

164.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$1.78 R$9.12

34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$5.94 R$30.43

34.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$0.97 R$4.97

34.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$1.32 R$6.74

81.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$1.42 R$7.30

-35.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

$47.86 R$245

-26.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.30 R$6.65

-19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.38

$1.37 R$7.02

-37.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.58

$9.15 R$46.89

-34.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.11 R$5.67

15.32%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$23.5K R$120.2K

-3.54%

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

$32.1K R$164.5K

$33.4K R$171.0K

-3.80%

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

$91.1 R$467

$43.90 R$225

107.40%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$11.54 R$59.1

7.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$17.56 R$90.0

28.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$22.99 R$118

37.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

$38.17 R$196

-30.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.26

$5.92 R$30.35

32.77%

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

$813 R$4,168

$73.6 R$377

1005.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$1,844 R$9,448

784.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$52.8 R$271

-1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$36.64 R$188

19.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$63.6 R$326

29.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$57.7 R$296

49.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,564

$316 R$1,620

58.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$209 R$1,069

27.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,806

$635 R$3,254

78.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,879

$441 R$2,262

27.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

$951 R$4,874

153.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,738

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,489

$234 R$1,197

275.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

11.12

6.12%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $316 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 275% 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 Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $156 per month, with Nova Iguacu 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 Iguacu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Nova Iguacu differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $718 including rent). Nova Iguacu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 275% 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 $316 in Nova Iguacu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nova Iguacu – 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.

All in, you'll spend $957 per month in Brasilia versus $718 in Nova Iguacu – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $718 in Nova Iguacu versus $957 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Iguacu but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Iguacu 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 Iguacu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.