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: $974 in Brasilia versus $814 in Palmas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,276 in Palmas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,738 in Palmas.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Palmas 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.66

$3.81 R$19.53

128.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$195

$19.83 R$102

92.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.61

$7.60 R$38.92

6.84%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.15

$1.41 R$7.23

82.27%

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

$1.44 R$7.36

$1.84 R$9.41

-21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.95

$1.14 R$5.84

-14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.82

$1.33 R$6.79

73.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.37

$2.94 R$15.05

28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.50

$1.09 R$5.59

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.72

$1.43 R$7.31

46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.76

$2.85 R$14.63

-53.68%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.61 R$13.39

-6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.0

$6.90 R$35.34

69.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.84

$3.17 R$16.27

28.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.43

$6.10 R$31.23

39.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.21 R$11.33

8.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.31

$1.63 R$8.37

-12.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.72

$1.21 R$6.21

8.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.26

$1.16 R$5.92

38.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.21

$1.17 R$5.99

3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.09 R$5.58

-3.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.11

$0.76 R$3.88

31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.27

$2.31 R$11.82

3.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.54

$6.70 R$34.31

21.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.60

$1.20 R$6.17

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$11.99

$2.04 R$10.43

14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.35

$0.72 R$3.70

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$43.19 R$221

-19.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.26

$1.37 R$7.02

-24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.75 R$3.85

22.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.54

$6.90 R$35.34

-7.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.22 R$6.24

5.74%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.8K R$122.2K

-2.16%

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

$32.6K R$166.9K

$32.4K R$165.8K

0.69%

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

$95.0 R$487

$112 R$574

-15.18%

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

$12.28 R$62.9

$11.45 R$58.7

7.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$19.03 R$97.5

17.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$22.92 R$117

36.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$138

$27.23 R$140

-0.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.22

$6.38 R$32.69

23.04%

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

$811 R$4,154

$152 R$778

434.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.7K

$7,233 R$37.1K

128.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$265

$35.28 R$181

46.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$224

$54.5 R$279

-19.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$426

$109 R$560

-23.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$439

$70.2 R$360

21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,461

$294 R$1,507

63.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,340

$196 R$1,005

33.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,688

$612 R$3,137

81.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,850

$410 R$2,099

35.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,578 R$8,084

58.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,747

$1,302 R$6,670

31.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,147

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.06

9.58%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Palmas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $294 in Palmas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $20.00 in Palmas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $175 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 ($974 vs $814 including rent). Palmas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,461 in Brasilia and $1,220 in Palmas to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $480 in Brasilia versus $294 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 $20.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $814 in Palmas – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $814 in Palmas versus $974 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Palmas but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Palmas 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 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.