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: $863 in Brasilia versus $695 in Petrolina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,095 in Petrolina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,494 in Petrolina.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 24% more expensive than in Petrolina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.67

$5.30 R$26.89

40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$198

$26.60 R$135

46.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.14

$6.25 R$31.73

-1.76%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.75

$1.77 R$8.99

8.47%

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

$1.18 R$5.97

$1.12 R$5.70

5.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.65 R$3.31

27.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.04

$1.82 R$9.24

-2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$16.91

$2.75 R$13.96

21.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.83

$1.06 R$5.36

-10.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.27

$0.84 R$4.26

94.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$1.09 R$5.54

33.94%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.56

$1.52 R$7.70

36.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$47.71

$7.94 R$40.31

18.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.20

$2.67 R$13.52

26.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.05

$7.18 R$36.45

-6.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.10 R$10.65

-8.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.93

$0.83 R$4.21

63.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$1.19 R$6.06

-2.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.49

$1.45 R$7.38

15.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.15 R$5.84

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$0.75 R$3.79

74.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.73

$0.75 R$3.80

-2.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.43 R$2.18

55.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.03

$2.17 R$10.99

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.91

$6.80 R$34.52

18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.60

$1.22 R$6.20

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.59

$1.99 R$10.12

14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$0.88 R$4.46

10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$220

$37.87 R$192

14.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.82

$1.09 R$5.56

-12.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.71 R$3.59

11.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.59

$6.26 R$31.79

-6.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.15 R$5.81

-0.87%

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

$25.2K R$127.9K

$21.0K R$106.4K

20.31%

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

$29.2K R$148.0K

$19.7K R$99.9K

48.18%

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

$71.8 R$364

$61.5 R$312

16.61%

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

$13.11 R$66.5

$13.58 R$68.9

-3.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$104

$9.05 R$45.90

126.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$127

$16.03 R$81.4

55.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$109

$21.59 R$110

-0.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.27

$3.53 R$17.93

107.93%

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

$485 R$2,462

$225 R$1,144

115.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.1K

$6,425 R$32.6K

136.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$295

$17.98 R$91.3

223.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$213

$42.36 R$215

-0.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$344

$49.32 R$250

37.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$326

$75.7 R$384

-15.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,031

$250 R$1,269

60.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,330

$214 R$1,086

22.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,788

$534 R$2,708

76.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,825

$376 R$1,910

47.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.5K

$1,458 R$7,399

69.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,762

$1,093 R$5,544

58.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,665

$575 R$2,916

59.98%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Petrolina: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $250 in Petrolina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 60% 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 $27.00 in Petrolina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 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 24% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $695 including rent). Petrolina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 60% 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: $400 in Brasilia versus $250 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $695 in Petrolina – a 24% 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 24% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.