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: $862 in Brasilia versus $655 in Pelotas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,019 in Pelotas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,384 in Pelotas.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.50

$3.92 R$19.83

79.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$197

$21.44 R$108

81.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.99

$5.58 R$28.23

13.26%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.91

$1.27 R$6.43

54.33%

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

$1.18 R$5.96

$0.70 R$3.55

68.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.48 R$2.45

79.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.38

$1.38 R$6.99

34.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.07

$1.32 R$6.69

140.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.03

$0.90 R$4.56

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.08

$0.88 R$4.47

81.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$0.98 R$4.98

43.88%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.30

$2.07 R$10.47

-1.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.83

$10.91 R$55.2

-13.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.19

$4.38 R$22.17

-22.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.60

$9.38 R$47.43

-24.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.92

$2.00 R$10.13

-2.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.32 R$6.67

6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.08

$1.31 R$6.64

-8.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.38

$1.11 R$5.62

49.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.27

$1.10 R$5.55

12.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.60

$0.86 R$4.33

52.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.72 R$3.65

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.19

$0.59 R$2.98

6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.78

$2.00 R$10.10

6.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.65

$7.65 R$38.70

17.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.59

$0.98 R$4.95

12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.08

$1.86 R$9.44

28.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.21

$0.87 R$4.38

18.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$225

$37.82 R$191

17.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.77

$1.66 R$8.37

-43.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.07

$1.05 R$5.32

-22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$28.19

$5.28 R$26.70

5.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.07 R$5.40

4.67%

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

$25.0K R$126.5K

$24.0K R$121.3K

4.28%

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

$29.1K R$147.3K

$27.6K R$139.5K

5.58%

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

$72.2 R$365

$60.1 R$304

20.24%

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

$13.08 R$66.2

$14.47 R$73.2

-9.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$103

$20.11 R$102

1.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$126

$19.64 R$99.4

27.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$108

$18.37 R$92.9

15.90%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.81

$3.20 R$16.20

121.25%

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

$488 R$2,471

$307 R$1,553

59.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.8K

$7,143 R$36.1K

109.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$295

$35.47 R$179

64.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$212

$56.9 R$288

-26.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$353

$62.0 R$314

12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$330

$61.8 R$313

5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,062

$188 R$950

117.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,317

$126 R$638

106.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,799

$256 R$1,296

270.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,842

$210 R$1,062

167.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.9K

$1,548 R$7,835

64.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,671

$779 R$3,940

120.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,281

$448 R$2,268

88.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

18.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Pelotas: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $188 in Pelotas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 89% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $21.00 in Pelotas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $180 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 ($862 vs $655 including rent). Pelotas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 89% more on average, 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $188 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 $21.00 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 $655 in Pelotas – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Pelotas 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 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.