Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Recife Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Recife

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $776 in Recife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,296 in Recife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,816 in Recife.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 12% more expensive than in Recife, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Recife 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.31

$5.10 R$25.95

43.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$204

$27.85 R$142

43.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.45

$6.66 R$33.92

-4.35%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.56

$1.82 R$9.28

3.30%

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

$1.18 R$6.01

$0.88 R$4.47

34.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.38

$0.53 R$2.68

62.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.33

$1.41 R$7.17

29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.82

$2.91 R$14.79

13.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.08

$1.17 R$5.97

-14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.19

$1.44 R$7.34

11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.20

$1.27 R$6.47

11.02%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.77

$2.37 R$12.06

-10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.40

$7.12 R$36.25

33.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.75

$3.65 R$18.60

-9.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.24

$6.87 R$34.96

0.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.30

$2.20 R$11.20

-8.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.24 R$6.30

12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.10 R$5.62

4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.57 R$7.99

1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.34 R$6.85

-8.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.56

$1.04 R$5.31

24.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.54 R$2.77

37.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.33

$0.75 R$3.80

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.18

$1.64 R$8.34

34.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.52

$7.79 R$39.66

2.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.49

$1.19 R$6.08

-9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.48

$1.61 R$8.21

40.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.97

$0.73 R$3.71

34.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$225

$36.52 R$186

21.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.85

$1.10 R$5.62

-13.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.04

$0.63 R$3.19

25.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.40

$3.64 R$18.51

58.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.71

$1.05 R$5.33

6.67%

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

$24.7K R$125.9K

$16.1K R$81.9K

53.68%

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

$29.3K R$149.2K

$21.7K R$110.6K

34.89%

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

$71.2 R$363

$72.7 R$370

-1.98%

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

$13.29 R$67.7

$16.27 R$82.8

-18.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$16.76 R$85.3

23.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$19.49 R$99.2

30.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$110

$31.31 R$159

-30.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$35.97

$7.38 R$37.59

-4.20%

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

$480 R$2,444

$258 R$1,316

85.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.7K

$10.7K R$54.4K

42.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$293

$41.79 R$213

37.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$208

$51.0 R$260

-19.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$345

$83.3 R$424

-18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$327

$76.9 R$392

-16.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,081

$324 R$1,651

26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,304

$206 R$1,046

24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,916

$585 R$2,976

65.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,819

$521 R$2,652

6.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.7K

$1,914 R$9,743

30.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,561

$1,053 R$5,361

59.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,775

$424 R$2,156

121.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

-20.87%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Recife: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $324 in Recife. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 121% 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 $28.00 in Recife for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $174 per month, with Recife 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 Recife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Recife differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $776 including rent). Recife is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 121% 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: $409 in Brasilia versus $324 in Recife. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Recife – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $776 in Recife – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Recife 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 Recife gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.