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: $974 in Brasilia versus $757 in Petrolina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,220 in Petrolina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,683 in Petrolina.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 29% more expensive than in Petrolina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Petrolina 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$5.71 R$29.43

52.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$31.72 R$163

20.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$7.36 R$37.92

10.33%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$1.92 R$9.89

33.85%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.24 R$6.40

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.73 R$3.78

32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$1.81 R$9.34

27.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$3.00 R$15.45

26.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.15 R$5.92

-6.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$0.94 R$4.86

122.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.15 R$5.93

14.78%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$1.61 R$8.28

51.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$9.04 R$46.59

29.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$3.69 R$19.01

10.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$7.58 R$39.04

11.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.38 R$12.26

0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$0.88 R$4.53

62.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$1.12 R$5.78

16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.59 R$8.18

1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$1.23 R$6.31

-1.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$0.81 R$4.19

29.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.80 R$4.15

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.47 R$2.43

112.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$2.14 R$11.01

11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$7.11 R$36.62

14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.35 R$6.95

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$1.76 R$9.05

32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$0.93 R$4.77

11.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$40.50 R$209

-13.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.25 R$6.44

-17.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$0.89 R$4.60

3.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$8.81 R$45.38

-27.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.28 R$6.57

0.78%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$20.7K R$106.6K

12.79%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$25.0K R$128.9K

30.18%

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

$95.0 R$489

$66.7 R$343

42.51%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$8.79 R$45.30

39.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$11.78 R$60.7

90.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$18.21 R$93.8

72.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$23.64 R$122

14.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$3.95 R$20.33

98.73%

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

$811 R$4,177

$241 R$1,243

236.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$7,355 R$37.9K

124.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$19.16 R$98.7

170.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$48.78 R$251

-10.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$53.6 R$276

54.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$83.8 R$432

2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$275 R$1,419

74.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$226 R$1,162

15.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$569 R$2,930

95.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$401 R$2,064

38.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$1,670 R$8,606

49.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,273 R$6,556

34.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$582 R$2,997

39.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.06

9.58%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Petrolina: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $275 in Petrolina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 39% 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 $32.00 in Petrolina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $169 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 29% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $757 including rent). Petrolina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 39% 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 $275 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 $32.00 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 $757 in Petrolina – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $757 in Petrolina versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Petrolina but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Petrolina 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 Petrolina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.