Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Paulista Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Paulista

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Brasilia versus $743 in Paulista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Brasilia versus $1,175 in Paulista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,137 in Brasilia versus $1,606 in Paulista.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 29% more expensive than in Paulista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Paulista 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.53 R$44.56

$6.52 R$34.03

30.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.01 R$204

$15.12 R$79.0

158.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 R$42.25

$7.49 R$39.10

8.01%

Cappuccino

$2.56 R$13.36

$1.46 R$7.62

75.34%

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

$1.40 R$7.33

$0.96 R$5.01

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 R$4.65

$0.40 R$2.08

122.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 R$12.18

$1.84 R$9.59

26.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 R$20.40

$3.49 R$18.25

12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.28

$0.98 R$5.11

3.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 R$10.39

$1.74 R$9.08

14.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.56

$0.98 R$5.10

28.57%

Eggs

$2.35 R$12.26

$2.04 R$10.68

15.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 R$59.8

$2.60 R$13.60

340.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 R$20.30

$2.83 R$14.77

37.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.69 R$45.38

$5.39 R$28.14

61.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 R$12.45

$1.97 R$10.27

20.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.63

$0.94 R$4.93

55.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.57

$0.88 R$4.58

43.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.52

$1.09 R$5.67

49.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.97

$1.38 R$7.20

-17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.25

$0.74 R$3.87

36.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 R$4.39

$0.40 R$2.07

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.72

$0.87 R$4.52

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 R$12.71

$2.17 R$11.33

11.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$42.03

$3.74 R$19.51

115.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.34

$1.48 R$7.74

-18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.55

$3.18 R$16.58

-24.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 R$5.32

$0.94 R$4.92

8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.39 R$180

$38.11 R$199

-9.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 R$5.30

$1.88 R$9.81

-45.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 R$4.31

$1.17 R$6.10

-29.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.26 R$32.68

$3.09 R$16.12

102.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.62

$1.08 R$5.65

17.59%

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

$22.9K R$119.4K

$13.6K R$70.9K

68.40%

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

$32.0K R$167.0K

$28.6K R$149.5K

11.73%

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

$95.0 R$496

$44.03 R$230

115.65%

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

$12.42 R$64.9

$22.16 R$116

-43.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.69 R$113

$22.82 R$119

-4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.99 R$162

$24.97 R$130

24.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.80 R$140

$26.18 R$137

2.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 R$40.47

$5.86 R$30.62

32.25%

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

$802 R$4,188

$66.0 R$345

1115.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K R$84.2K

$6,327 R$33.0K

154.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 R$266

$16.90 R$88.3

201.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 R$219

$64.9 R$339

-35.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 R$424

$48.69 R$254

66.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 R$448

$57.5 R$300

49.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,518

$339 R$1,772

42.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,325

$230 R$1,199

10.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 R$5,760

$633 R$3,306

74.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 R$2,913

$465 R$2,428

19.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,400 R$12.5K

$1,550 R$8,093

54.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 R$8,765

$1,044 R$5,450

60.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$811 R$4,237

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

10.18%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 27, 2026

Last update for Paulista: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Brasilia and $339 in Paulista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $15.00 in Paulista for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $141 per month, with Paulista 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 Paulista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Paulista differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $743 including rent). Paulista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,440 in Brasilia and $1,115 in Paulista 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: $482 in Brasilia versus $339 in Paulista. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Paulista – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $960 per month in Brasilia versus $743 in Paulista – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $743 in Paulista versus $960 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Paulista but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Paulista 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 Paulista 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.