Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Pelotas Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Pelotas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $739 in Pelotas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,149 in Pelotas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,559 in Pelotas.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 32% more expensive than in Pelotas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Pelotas 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$5.89 R$30.31

47.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$17.82 R$91.6

113.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$6.75 R$34.70

20.30%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$2.57 R$13.22

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$1.28 R$6.58

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.68 R$3.50

42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$1.42 R$7.30

62.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$1.55 R$7.95

143.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$0.92 R$4.73

16.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.11 R$5.73

88.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$0.85 R$4.39

55.29%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$2.25 R$11.54

8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$9.48 R$48.73

23.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$4.53 R$23.28

-10.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$9.32 R$47.91

-9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$2.44 R$12.52

-1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$1.15 R$5.93

24.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$1.36 R$7.00

-3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.20 R$6.17

34.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$1.17 R$6.01

3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$0.93 R$4.77

12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.89 R$4.56

-10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.51 R$2.63

96.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$2.38 R$12.25

0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$7.13 R$36.67

13.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$0.66 R$3.41

95.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$0.94 R$4.84

148.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$1.15 R$5.90

-9.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$50.1 R$258

-30.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.29 R$6.62

-20.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.85 R$4.37

8.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$7.92 R$40.72

-19.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.24 R$6.39

4.03%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$23.3K R$119.9K

0.05%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$33.3K R$171.2K

-2.16%

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

$95.0 R$488

$73.9 R$380

28.51%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$7.43 R$38.22

65.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$19.23 R$98.9

16.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$19.28 R$99.2

62.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$19.23 R$98.9

40.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$4.69 R$24.11

67.38%

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

$811 R$4,169

$544 R$2,798

49.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$25.0K R$128.8K

-34.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$33.71 R$173

53.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$29.47 R$152

48.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$59.4 R$305

39.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$77.8 R$400

10.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$226 R$1,163

112.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$159 R$819

64.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$388 R$1,996

185.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$311 R$1,600

78.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,515 R$7,789

64.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

$785 R$4,038

117.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

$441 R$2,268

83.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.5

5.39%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Pelotas: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $226 in Pelotas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 83% 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 $18.00 in Pelotas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $177 per month, with Pelotas 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 Pelotas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Pelotas differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $739 including rent). Pelotas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 83% 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 $226 in Pelotas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pelotas – a meal for two runs $18.00 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 $739 in Pelotas – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $739 in Pelotas versus $974 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pelotas but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Pelotas 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 Pelotas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.