Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Novo Hamburgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Novo Hamburgo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Brasilia versus $700 in Novo Hamburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Brasilia versus $1,104 in Novo Hamburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Brasilia versus $1,509 in Novo Hamburgo.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 23% more expensive than in Novo Hamburgo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Novo Hamburgo 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 R$36.53

$4.39 R$22.23

64.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 R$198

$16.90 R$85.5

131.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.22

$6.14 R$31.03

3.75%

Cappuccino

$1.86 R$9.41

$1.47 R$7.42

26.53%

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

$1.17 R$5.90

$1.17 R$5.92

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.79 R$4.00

10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.91

$2.12 R$10.74

-16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.00

$2.80 R$14.18

12.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.85 R$4.29

9.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 R$8.36

$1.40 R$7.07

17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.49

$0.69 R$3.50

114.49%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$1.99 R$10.08

1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.83

$7.96 R$40.27

16.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R$17.24

$4.02 R$20.36

-15.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 R$34.86

$6.42 R$32.47

7.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.26

$1.99 R$10.08

2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$0.99 R$5.03

38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.85

$0.75 R$3.78

54.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.18

$1.18 R$5.98

37.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.15 R$5.80

6.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.50

$0.92 R$4.65

40.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.80

$0.76 R$3.87

-1.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.08

$0.52 R$2.64

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$1.63 R$8.26

33.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.78

$7.25 R$36.66

11.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.59

$1.02 R$5.18

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$1.87 R$9.48

21.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.92

$0.73 R$3.71

32.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 R$222

$38.74 R$196

13.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.07

$1.61 R$8.12

-37.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R$4.07

$1.05 R$5.30

-23.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.80

$5.25 R$26.55

8.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.03 R$5.23

5.83%

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

$25.3K R$128.2K

$24.4K R$123.6K

3.71%

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

$28.5K R$144.2K

$28.1K R$142.4K

1.25%

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

$70.2 R$355

$60.0 R$303

17.03%

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

$13.06 R$66.1

$14.51 R$73.4

-9.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 R$101

$20.25 R$102

-0.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$125

$22.64 R$115

8.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$110

$21.20 R$107

2.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 R$36.60

$6.27 R$31.71

15.47%

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

$485 R$2,453

$310 R$1,570

56.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$76.4K

$7,320 R$37.0K

106.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R$290

$41.95 R$212

36.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$213

$33.68 R$170

25.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$344

$72.0 R$364

-5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R$321

$37.16 R$188

70.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,082

$241 R$1,217

71.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,329

$172 R$869

53.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 R$4,920

$515 R$2,606

88.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 R$2,846

$394 R$1,992

42.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 R$12.7K

$1,659 R$8,392

51.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 R$8,829

$1,162 R$5,880

50.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,694

$484 R$2,450

91.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

18.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 21, 2026

Last update for Novo Hamburgo: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $241 in Novo Hamburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 92% 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 $17.00 in Novo Hamburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $159 per month, with Novo Hamburgo 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 Novo Hamburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Novo Hamburgo differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $700 including rent). Novo Hamburgo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 92% 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: $412 in Brasilia versus $241 in Novo Hamburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Novo Hamburgo – a meal for two runs $17.00 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 $700 in Novo Hamburgo – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Novo Hamburgo 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 Novo Hamburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.