Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Paulinia Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Paulinia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Brasilia versus $865 in Paulinia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,380 in Paulinia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,896 in Paulinia.

Monthly costs are close between Brasilia and Paulinia; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Paulinia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.99

$7.11 R$36.37

4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$199

$31.88 R$163

22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.40

$6.87 R$35.16

-10.63%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.83

$2.08 R$10.65

-7.69%

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

$1.18 R$6.02

$1.28 R$6.54

-7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.87 R$4.46

-4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.12

$1.78 R$9.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$17.06

$2.84 R$14.52

17.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.87

$0.95 R$4.86

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.34

$1.52 R$7.80

7.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.48

$1.40 R$7.14

4.29%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.65

$2.41 R$12.34

-13.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$48.12

$12.41 R$63.5

-24.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.34

$4.08 R$20.86

-16.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.34

$8.66 R$44.32

-22.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.86

$1.61 R$8.22

19.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.98

$1.38 R$7.05

-1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.42 R$7.28

-18.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.56

$1.66 R$8.51

0.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.36

$1.25 R$6.42

-0.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.68

$1.29 R$6.58

1.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.76

$1.01 R$5.16

-27.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.42

$0.67 R$3.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.13

$2.13 R$10.91

1.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$41.26

$7.91 R$40.48

1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.65

$1.31 R$6.71

-16.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.68

$2.08 R$10.62

9.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.88 R$4.48

10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$222

$38.23 R$196

13.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.86

$1.16 R$5.95

-18.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$0.58 R$2.97

36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.84

$7.87 R$40.28

-25.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.83

$1.07 R$5.45

6.54%

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

$25.2K R$129.0K

$22.2K R$113.5K

13.73%

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

$29.2K R$149.2K

$28.5K R$145.7K

2.42%

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

$71.8 R$367

$86.4 R$442

-16.95%

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

$13.11 R$67.1

$16.57 R$84.8

-20.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$105

$22.12 R$113

-7.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$128

$36.40 R$186

-31.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$110

$21.83 R$112

-1.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.58

$7.63 R$39.04

-3.80%

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

$485 R$2,483

$330 R$1,690

46.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.7K

$8,131 R$41.6K

86.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$297

$47.23 R$242

23.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$215

$44.24 R$226

-5.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$347

$80.7 R$413

-16.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$329

$63.4 R$324

1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,048

$311 R$1,593

28.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,342

$219 R$1,120

19.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,828

$576 R$2,949

63.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,849

$438 R$2,242

27.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.6K

$1,604 R$8,207

53.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,835

$1,189 R$6,086

45.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,705

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

-1.08%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Paulinia: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $311 in Paulinia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $32.00 in Paulinia. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $199, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Paulinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $1,295 in Brasilia and $1,298 in Paulinia 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: $400 in Brasilia versus $311 in Paulinia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $485 in Brasilia versus $330 in Paulinia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $32.00 in Paulinia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Brasilia 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.

It comes down to priorities – Brasilia wins on affordability, Paulinia on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.