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: $862 in Brasilia versus $658 in Paulista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,045 in Paulista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,431 in Paulista.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 31% more expensive than Paulista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Paulista 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.50

$5.68 R$28.74

23.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$197

$14.60 R$73.9

166.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.99

$6.43 R$32.53

-1.71%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.91

$1.43 R$7.23

37.06%

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

$1.18 R$5.96

$1.22 R$6.18

-3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.35 R$1.77

145.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.38

$1.66 R$8.42

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.07

$2.14 R$10.83

48.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.03

$0.92 R$4.63

7.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.08

$1.21 R$6.12

32.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$0.93 R$4.69

51.61%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.30

$1.82 R$9.18

12.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.83

$2.47 R$12.51

282.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.19

$2.63 R$13.32

29.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.60

$5.20 R$26.30

35.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.92

$1.79 R$9.05

9.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$0.94 R$4.75

48.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.08

$0.86 R$4.37

39.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.38

$1.11 R$5.62

49.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.27

$0.98 R$4.95

26.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.60

$0.70 R$3.52

87.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.35 R$1.76

131.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.19

$0.57 R$2.86

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.78

$2.00 R$10.14

6.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.65

$3.86 R$19.51

133.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.59

$1.29 R$6.52

-14.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.08

$2.48 R$12.56

-3.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.21

$0.93 R$4.70

10.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$225

$38.89 R$197

14.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.77

$0.92 R$4.67

2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.07

$0.71 R$3.60

14.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$28.19

$10.82 R$54.8

-48.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.68

$0.95 R$4.82

17.89%

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

$25.0K R$126.5K

$12.8K R$64.9K

95.00%

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

$29.1K R$147.3K

$27.0K R$136.6K

7.82%

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

$72.2 R$365

$41.95 R$212

72.18%

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

$13.08 R$66.2

$15.79 R$79.9

-17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$103

$18.90 R$95.7

7.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$126

$22.94 R$116

8.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$108

$21.97 R$111

-3.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.81

$5.54 R$28.04

27.80%

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

$488 R$2,471

$64.1 R$324

662.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.8K

$4,347 R$22.0K

244.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$295

$16.43 R$83.2

254.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$212

$43.13 R$218

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$353

$44.44 R$225

57.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$330

$54.0 R$273

20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,062

$317 R$1,606

28.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,317

$213 R$1,075

22.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,799

$574 R$2,902

65.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,842

$429 R$2,169

31.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.9K

$1,420 R$7,186

78.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,671

$1,105 R$5,588

55.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,281

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Paulista: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $317 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 $183 vs $124 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 31% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $658 including rent). Paulista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,293 in Brasilia and $988 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $317 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 $862 per month in Brasilia versus $658 in Paulista – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Paulista 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 Paulista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.