Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Petrolina Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Petrolina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $698 in Petrolina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,094 in Petrolina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,490 in Petrolina.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 25% more expensive than Petrolina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Petrolina 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$5.55 R$27.57

29.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$26.50 R$132

50.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$6.41 R$31.86

0.78%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.81 R$8.97

6.63%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.07 R$5.34

13.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.62 R$3.09

32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.84 R$9.14

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.68 R$13.32

23.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$0.83 R$4.13

95.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.06 R$5.26

35.85%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$1.52 R$7.58

38.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$7.92 R$39.34

13.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$2.65 R$13.19

25.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$7.31 R$36.36

-8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.01 R$10.01

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$0.77 R$3.84

76.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.16 R$5.75

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.52 R$7.55

6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.19 R$5.92

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$0.69 R$3.42

86.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.69 R$3.42

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.43 R$2.12

44.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.11 R$10.48

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$7.01 R$34.85

42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.28 R$6.35

-17.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$2.00 R$9.95

18.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.94 R$4.65

1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$37.97 R$189

14.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$1.10 R$5.46

-9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.71 R$3.53

7.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$6.56 R$32.60

-13.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.14 R$5.65

-0.88%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$20.4K R$101.4K

24.62%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$20.0K R$99.2K

45.64%

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

$71.6 R$356

$61.1 R$303

17.31%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$13.65 R$67.9

-1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$8.96 R$44.54

129.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$15.94 R$79.3

58.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.87 R$109

0.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$3.54 R$17.61

101.69%

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

$483 R$2,402

$225 R$1,121

114.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,508 R$32.3K

135.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$17.67 R$87.8

231.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$42.31 R$210

-1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$50.3 R$250

35.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$77.5 R$385

-16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$254 R$1,261

60.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$207 R$1,029

22.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$526 R$2,616

83.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$376 R$1,868

49.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,860 R$9,243

44.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,107 R$5,501

62.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

$591 R$2,935

28.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.92

8.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Last update for Petrolina: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $254 in Petrolina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 29% 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: $40 in Brasilia vs $27 in Petrolina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $152 per month, with Petrolina 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 Petrolina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Petrolina differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $698 including rent). Petrolina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 29% 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: $407 in Brasilia versus $254 in Petrolina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Petrolina – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Brasilia versus $698 in Petrolina – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Petrolina 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 Petrolina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.