Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Paulo Afonso

For one person, living is cheaper in Paulo Afonso: $823 a month against $907 in Brasilia, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Brasilia, Brazil
Paulo Afonso, Brazil
Brasilia
🇧🇷 Brazil
$907
/mo nomad
Paulo Afonso
🇧🇷 Brazil
$823
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brasilia and in Paulo Afonso

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brasilia and in Paulo Afonso actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $907 in Brasilia versus $823 in Paulo Afonso.

  • Brasilia $907
  • Paulo Afonso $823

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Brasilia versus $1,313 in Paulo Afonso.

  • Brasilia $1,501
  • Paulo Afonso $1,313

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,094 in Brasilia versus $1,804 in Paulo Afonso.

  • Brasilia $2,094
  • Paulo Afonso $1,804

Living in Brasilia is roughly 10% more expensive than in Paulo Afonso, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 33% lower, Paulo Afonso 39% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.23 R$45.19
$5.61 R$30.77
46.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.50 R$206
$30.09 R$165
24.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.00 R$43.92
$7.32 R$40.18
9.29%
Cappuccino
$2.44 R$13.37
$1.84 R$10.08
32.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 R$7.53
$1.19 R$6.52
15.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 R$5.34
$0.71 R$3.87
36.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 R$12.43
$1.89 R$10.39
20.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 R$19.67
$2.77 R$15.19
29.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.94 R$5.17
$0.94 R$5.14
-
White Bread (500g)
$1.93 R$10.60
$1.59 R$8.75
21.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.68
$1.16 R$6.38
5.17%
Eggs
$2.25 R$12.33
$2.06 R$11.32
9.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.96 R$60.2
$8.75 R$48.03
25.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.68 R$20.21
$3.95 R$21.70
-6.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.16 R$44.79
$7.76 R$42.60
5.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 R$12.52
$2.05 R$11.26
11.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 R$7.50
$1.19 R$6.53
15.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.24 R$6.81
$1.13 R$6.20
9.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.50 R$8.21
$1.46 R$8.02
2.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 R$5.97
$1.12 R$6.14
-2.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 R$5.63
$1.00 R$5.47
2.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.76 R$4.17
$0.73 R$3.98
4.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 R$5.16
$0.78 R$4.26
20.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 R$12.84
$2.27 R$12.47
3.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.68 R$42.15
$7.31 R$40.09
5.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 R$6.78
$1.17 R$6.43
5.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 R$12.21
$1.99 R$10.90
11.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.77 R$4.24
$0.98 R$5.36
-21.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.34 R$167
$41.38 R$227
-26.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.20 R$6.58
$1.24 R$6.80
-3.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 R$4.63
$0.78 R$4.31
7.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.22 R$39.64
$7.58 R$41.58
-4.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 R$6.57
$1.16 R$6.38
3.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K R$117.4K
$22.2K R$121.9K
-3.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K R$173.7K
$31.7K R$173.8K
-0.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.9 R$482
$72.3 R$397
21.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.11 R$61.0
$11.46 R$62.9
-3.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.19 R$111
$19.41 R$107
4.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.40 R$167
$24.60 R$135
23.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.58 R$140
$25.69 R$141
-0.43%
Cinema Ticket
$7.23 R$39.68
$6.59 R$36.19
9.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$765 R$4,201
$263 R$1,442
191.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K R$91.3K
$6,731 R$36.9K
147.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.1 R$291
$51.1 R$281
3.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.52 R$228
$45.74 R$251
-9.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.7 R$432
$84.7 R$465
-7.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.4 R$446
$66.1 R$363
23.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$508 R$2,786
$338 R$1,853
50.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$246 R$1,352
$230 R$1,262
7.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,132 R$6,212
$629 R$3,452
79.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$584 R$3,208
$457 R$2,510
27.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,281 R$12.5K
$1,562 R$8,571
46.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,623 R$8,909
$1,155 R$6,340
40.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brasilia
Paulo Afonso
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$859 R$4,717
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.12
11
10.18%

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

Last update for Brasilia: November 1, 2026

Last update for Paulo Afonso: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brasilia
$246
Paulo Afonso
$230 6.7% $16
Groceries & Markets
Brasilia
$196
Paulo Afonso
$179 8.8% $17
Eating Out
Brasilia
$147
Paulo Afonso
$111 24.2% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brasilia
$119
Paulo Afonso
$103 13.4% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Brasilia
$115
Paulo Afonso
$111 2.7% $3.1
Sport & Entertainment
Brasilia
$45
Paulo Afonso
$38 15.8% $7.1
Getting Around
Brasilia
$39
Paulo Afonso
$50 29.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Brasilia and $338 in Paulo Afonso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38 in Brasilia vs $30 in Paulo Afonso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $179 per month, with Paulo Afonso cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Brasilia
🇧🇷 Paulo Afonso
🕒 Local time
06:50 6:50 AM
06:50 6:50 AM
Same time as Brasilia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,817,381 Capital
112,870
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.15 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brasilia Paulo Afonso 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Brasilia
  • Paulo Afonso

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Brasilia and in Paulo Afonso?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $907 in Brasilia and $823 in Paulo Afonso, so Paulo Afonso is about 9% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Brasilia compared to Paulo Afonso?
You’d need roughly $1,360 in Brasilia and $1,234 in Paulo Afonso 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Brasilia and in Paulo Afonso?
Rent for a central apartment: $508 in Brasilia versus $338 in Paulo Afonso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Paulo Afonso – a meal for two runs $30 versus $38 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Brasilia or Paulo Afonso?
All in, you’ll spend $907 per month in Brasilia versus $823 in Paulo Afonso – Paulo Afonso is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is feasible on a $800 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Paulo Afonso is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Brasilia and Paulo Afonso?
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.

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