Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Paulo Afonso Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Paulo Afonso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $851 in Paulo Afonso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,376 in Paulo Afonso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,901 in Paulo Afonso.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 14% more expensive than in Paulo Afonso, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Paulo Afonso 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$6.64 R$34.14

31.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$29.80 R$153

27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$6.74 R$34.67

20.47%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$2.19 R$11.27

17.35%

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$1.34 R$6.89

7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.83 R$4.26

16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$1.97 R$10.12

17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$2.62 R$13.49

44.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.04 R$5.35

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.69 R$8.72

23.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$1.21 R$6.20

9.09%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$2.19 R$11.27

11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$9.24 R$47.53

26.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$4.22 R$21.68

-3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$8.49 R$43.67

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$2.10 R$10.78

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$1.20 R$6.17

19.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$1.18 R$6.08

11.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.51 R$7.76

6.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$1.22 R$6.29

-0.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$0.99 R$5.09

6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.76 R$3.89

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.79 R$4.06

26.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$2.19 R$11.28

9.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$7.91 R$40.65

2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$1.26 R$6.49

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$2.06 R$10.59

13.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$0.96 R$4.92

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$44.12 R$227

-20.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.44 R$7.41

-28.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.85 R$4.38

8.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$9.01 R$46.34

-29.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.23 R$6.32

4.88%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$22.8K R$117.4K

2.17%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$31.4K R$161.5K

3.76%

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

$95.0 R$488

$71.2 R$366

33.36%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$11.27 R$58.0

8.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$21.23 R$109

5.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$25.14 R$129

24.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$25.58 R$132

5.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$6.96 R$35.80

12.79%

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

$811 R$4,169

$317 R$1,628

156.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$6,996 R$36.0K

136.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$52.7 R$271

-1.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$49.51 R$255

-11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$93.5 R$481

-11.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$71.1 R$366

20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$363 R$1,864

32.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$229 R$1,177

14.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$652 R$3,354

70.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$455 R$2,341

22.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,811 R$9,311

37.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

$1,190 R$6,119

43.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

$231 R$1,187

250.57%

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 Paulo Afonso: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $363 in Paulo Afonso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 251% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $30.00 in Paulo Afonso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $190 per month, with Paulo Afonso 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 Paulo Afonso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Paulo Afonso differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $851 including rent). Paulo Afonso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 251% higher in Brasilia, 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $363 in Paulo Afonso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Paulo Afonso – a meal for two runs $30.00 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 $851 in Paulo Afonso – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $851 in Paulo Afonso versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Paulo Afonso but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Paulo Afonso 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 Paulo Afonso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.