Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Quezon City

For one person, living is cheaper in Quezon City: $860 a month against $1,008 in Brasilia, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Brasilia
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,008
/mo nomad
Quezon City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$860
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brasilia and in Quezon City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brasilia and in Quezon City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,008 in Brasilia versus $860 in Quezon City.

  • Brasilia $1,008
  • Quezon City $860

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,618 in Brasilia versus $1,372 in Quezon City.

  • Brasilia $1,618
  • Quezon City $1,372

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,228 in Brasilia versus $1,885 in Quezon City.

  • Brasilia $2,228
  • Quezon City $1,885

Living in Brasilia is roughly 17% more expensive than in Quezon City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 25% lower, Quezon City 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.23 R$46.81
$4.48 ₱282
106.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.99 R$203
$18.90 ₱1,190
111.59%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.44 R$42.79
$2.84 ₱179
197.18%
Cappuccino
$2.62 R$13.29
$2.79 ₱175
-6.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 R$7.70
$0.75 ₱47.41
102.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 R$4.63
$0.27 ₱16.78
237.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 R$12.30
$1.45 ₱91.6
67.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99 R$20.23
$2.83 ₱178
40.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 R$5.57
$1.68 ₱106
-34.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.07 R$10.47
$1.14 ₱71.6
81.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.36 R$6.90
$0.84 ₱53.0
61.90%
Eggs
$2.46 R$12.47
$1.75 ₱110
40.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.06 R$61.1
$6.69 ₱421
80.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.00 R$20.29
$4.24 ₱267
-5.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.09 R$46.06
$7.23 ₱455
25.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.43 R$12.33
$3.96 ₱250
-38.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 R$7.76
$1.36 ₱85.7
12.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.33 R$6.73
$3.46 ₱218
-61.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.73 R$8.76
$1.13 ₱71.3
53.10%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 R$5.95
$2.35 ₱148
-50.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 R$5.28
$3.32 ₱209
-68.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.83 R$4.20
$1.42 ₱89.7
-41.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 R$5.03
$0.97 ₱61.2
2.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.43 R$12.34
$2.82 ₱178
-13.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.26 R$41.86
$7.73 ₱487
6.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 R$6.50
$1.33 ₱83.8
-3.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 R$12.58
$1.79 ₱113
38.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.03 R$5.23
$0.36 ₱22.92
186.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.05 R$183
$19.25 ₱1,212
87.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.05 R$5.32
$0.77 ₱48.63
36.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.91 R$4.63
$0.21 ₱13.22
333.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.31 R$31.99
$2.57 ₱162
145.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 R$6.51
$1.18 ₱74.6
8.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2K R$122.5K
$21.4K ₱1.4M
12.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K R$169.0K
$19.1K ₱1.2M
74.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$98.4 R$499
$163 ₱10.2K
-39.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.88 R$65.3
$14.34 ₱903
-10.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.35 R$113
$24.17 ₱1,522
-7.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.14 R$173
$38.36 ₱2,415
-11.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.34 R$144
$3.30 ₱207
758.79%
Cinema Ticket
$7.78 R$39.45
$7.01 ₱441
10.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$834 R$4,230
$71.8 ₱4,522
1061.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.3K R$87.9K
$2,491 ₱156.8K
595.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8 R$288
$35.65 ₱2,245
59.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.40 R$230
$22.77 ₱1,433
99.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.5 R$433
$77.8 ₱4,898
9.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.5 R$459
$77.0 ₱4,850
17.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$507 R$2,572
$312 ₱19.7K
62.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$279 R$1,412
$187 ₱11.8K
48.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,123 R$5,693
$746 ₱47.0K
50.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 R$2,881
$537 ₱33.8K
5.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,518 R$12.8K
$2,370 ₱149.2K
6.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,744 R$8,840
$1,425 ₱89.7K
22.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brasilia
Quezon City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$841 R$4,263
$429 ₱27.0K
96.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.12
7
73.14%

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

Last update for Brasilia: October 12, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brasilia
$279
Quezon City
$187 32.9% $92
Groceries & Markets
Brasilia
$214
Quezon City
$206 4% $8.6
Eating Out
Brasilia
$160
Quezon City
$95 40.9% $66
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brasilia
$134
Quezon City
$201 50.5% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Brasilia
$125
Quezon City
$96 23.4% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Brasilia
$50
Quezon City
$52 5.4% $2.7
Getting Around
Brasilia
$46
Quezon City
$23 50.8% $23

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Brasilia and $312 in Quezon City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 96% 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: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $19.00 in Quezon City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $206 per month, with Quezon City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Brasilia
🇵🇭 Quezon City
🕒 Local time
21:20 9:20 PM
08:20 8:20 AM
11 h ahead of Brasilia
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,817,381 Capital
2,936,116
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brasilia Quezon City 18,820 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Brasilia
  • Quezon City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Quezon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Brasilia and in Quezon City?
Brasilia and Quezon City differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,008 vs $860 including rent). Quezon City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Brasilia or Quezon City?
Average pay runs 96% higher in Brasilia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Brasilia and in Quezon City?
Rent for a central apartment: $507 in Brasilia versus $312 in Quezon City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Quezon City – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Brasilia or Quezon City?
All in, you'll spend $1,008 per month in Brasilia versus $860 in Quezon City – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $860 in Quezon City versus $1,008 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quezon City but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Quezon City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Brasilia and Quezon City?
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.
Is Brasilia or Quezon City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Brasilia and Quezon City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Brasilia or Quezon City?
Expats usually find Quezon City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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