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: $957 in Brasilia versus $744 in Novo Hamburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,192 in Novo Hamburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,640 in Novo Hamburgo.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 29% more expensive than in Novo Hamburgo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Novo Hamburgo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.14

$4.83 R$24.75

78.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$18.20 R$93.3

114.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.98

$6.81 R$34.91

17.47%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.04

$1.58 R$8.10

61.39%

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

$1.45 R$7.44

$1.28 R$6.54

13.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.88 R$4.49

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$2.27 R$11.61

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$2.92 R$14.99

33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.88 R$4.52

21.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.66 R$8.49

22.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$0.73 R$3.76

72.60%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.10 R$10.76

16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$8.71 R$44.63

38.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.81

$4.41 R$22.58

-7.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.24

$7.00 R$35.89

17.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$2.35 R$12.04

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.06 R$5.43

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$0.80 R$4.11

58.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.22 R$6.23

35.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.16 R$5.94

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$0.97 R$4.99

4.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.25

$0.87 R$4.47

-4.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$0.60 R$3.06

63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$1.78 R$9.10

34.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$7.30 R$37.39

9.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.13 R$5.80

15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.06 R$10.57

16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.78 R$4.00

17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

$44.27 R$227

-20.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.24 R$6.34

-15.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.37

$0.78 R$4.02

8.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.57

$8.13 R$41.67

-26.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.08 R$5.51

18.52%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$23.1K R$118.5K

-2.21%

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

$32.1K R$164.4K

$33.0K R$169.2K

-2.83%

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

$91.1 R$467

$73.3 R$375

24.27%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$12.16 R$62.3

2.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$21.69 R$111

3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$25.21 R$129

24.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

$27.05 R$139

-2.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.25

$6.71 R$34.36

17.14%

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

$813 R$4,167

$294 R$1,505

176.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$7,339 R$37.6K

122.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$44.94 R$230

16.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$36.23 R$186

20.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$77.2 R$395

7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$39.75 R$204

117.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,563

$258 R$1,323

93.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$184 R$944

44.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,805

$544 R$2,786

108.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,878

$428 R$2,193

31.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

$1,623 R$8,318

48.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,736

$1,128 R$5,779

51.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,488

$475 R$2,434

84.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

7.27%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Novo Hamburgo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $258 in Novo Hamburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 84% 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 $18.00 in Novo Hamburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $174 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 29% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $744 including rent). Novo Hamburgo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 84% 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 $258 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 $18.00 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 $744 in Novo Hamburgo – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $744 in Novo Hamburgo versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Novo Hamburgo but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Novo Hamburgo 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 Novo Hamburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.