Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Palmas Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Palmas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $860 in Brasilia versus $717 in Palmas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Brasilia versus $1,091 in Palmas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Brasilia versus $1,466 in Palmas.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 20% more expensive than Palmas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Palmas 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.53

$3.64 R$18.41

92.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 R$197

$17.71 R$89.7

119.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 R$32.41

$7.13 R$36.07

-10.24%

Cappuccino

$1.94 R$9.80

$1.30 R$6.60

49.23%

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

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.70 R$8.62

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.36

$1.06 R$5.37

-18.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.01

$1.24 R$6.29

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.14

$2.77 R$14.03

15.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.00

$1.01 R$5.10

-1.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 R$8.39

$1.33 R$6.72

24.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.52

$1.78 R$9.03

-16.29%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.19

$2.41 R$12.21

-16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 R$45.53

$6.34 R$32.10

41.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$16.68

$3.41 R$17.25

-3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$33.61

$5.70 R$28.87

16.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.23

$2.14 R$10.84

-5.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.09

$1.56 R$7.91

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.09

$1.18 R$6.00

1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.19

$1.11 R$5.60

45.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.14 R$5.79

13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.11 R$5.62

18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.09

$0.74 R$3.77

9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.16

$0.67 R$3.37

-7.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.16 R$10.94

0.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 R$43.91

$6.64 R$33.60

30.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.03 R$5.23

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.41

$1.97 R$10.00

14.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.67 R$3.39

50.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.27 R$224

$38.98 R$197

13.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.08

$1.05 R$5.33

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.71 R$3.58

14.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 R$28.91

$6.39 R$32.33

-10.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.03 R$5.24

10.68%

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

$24.8K R$125.7K

$21.0K R$106.1K

18.48%

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

$28.6K R$144.7K

$27.9K R$141.0K

2.59%

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

$69.8 R$353

$119 R$602

-41.30%

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

$13.07 R$66.2

$10.51 R$53.2

24.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 R$104

$17.61 R$89.2

16.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$126

$21.76 R$110

14.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 R$111

$21.26 R$108

3.48%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 R$36.86

$5.34 R$27.03

36.33%

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

$491 R$2,485

$129 R$655

279.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.5K

$6,492 R$32.9K

138.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 R$299

$37.92 R$192

55.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 R$208

$42.15 R$213

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 R$344

$90.5 R$458

-25.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 R$323

$58.0 R$293

9.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R$2,093

$225 R$1,140

83.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,311

$143 R$724

81.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 R$4,831

$447 R$2,263

113.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,794

$290 R$1,467

90.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 R$12.6K

$1,579 R$7,996

57.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 R$8,520

$1,184 R$5,995

42.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$929 R$4,705

$294 R$1,486

216.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.92

8.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 8, 2026

Last update for Palmas: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Brasilia and $225 in Palmas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 217% 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 Palmas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $163 per month, with Palmas 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 Palmas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Palmas differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $717 including rent). Palmas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 217% more on average, 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: $414 in Brasilia versus $225 in Palmas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Palmas – 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 $860 per month in Brasilia versus $717 in Palmas – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Palmas 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 Palmas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.