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: $974 in Brasilia versus $880 in Recife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,445 in Recife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $2,010 in Recife.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 11% more expensive than in Recife, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Recife 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.90

$5.32 R$27.42

63.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$37.12 R$191

2.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.84

$9.72 R$50.1

-16.46%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.22

$2.44 R$12.55

5.33%

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

$1.44 R$7.40

$1.02 R$5.28

41.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.64 R$3.28

51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.89

$1.59 R$8.17

45.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.47

$3.05 R$15.70

23.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$1.39 R$7.18

-23.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.77

$1.60 R$8.22

30.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.80

$1.55 R$8.00

-14.84%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$1.87 R$9.66

30.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.3

$6.93 R$35.71

68.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.95

$4.51 R$23.23

-9.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.66

$7.92 R$40.78

7.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$1.34 R$6.89

79.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.35

$1.35 R$6.97

5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.76

$0.76 R$3.92

72.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.20 R$6.17

34.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.24

$1.38 R$7.09

-12.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.41

$1.04 R$5.37

0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.51 R$2.64

56.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.13

$0.84 R$4.32

19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.33

$1.77 R$9.10

35.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.77

$7.79 R$40.15

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.14 R$5.86

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.05

$1.55 R$7.99

50.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.38

$0.84 R$4.35

23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$180

$37.92 R$195

-7.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.23 R$6.35

-16.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.75

$0.75 R$3.87

22.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.71

$3.48 R$17.92

82.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.67

$1.26 R$6.48

2.38%

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

$23.3K R$120.2K

$23.3K R$120.3K

-0.05%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$31.7K R$163.5K

2.68%

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

$95.0 R$489

$114 R$587

-16.57%

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

$12.28 R$63.3

$13.04 R$67.2

-5.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$17.02 R$87.7

31.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$162

$20.68 R$107

51.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$33.57 R$173

-19.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.43

$8.23 R$42.42

-4.62%

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

$811 R$4,177

$277 R$1,428

192.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$85.1K

$11.7K R$60.0K

41.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$267

$43.62 R$225

18.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$226

$47.98 R$247

-8.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$428

$74.8 R$386

11.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$441

$79.0 R$407

8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,474

$507 R$2,614

-5.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,348

$258 R$1,328

1.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,718

$866 R$4,463

28.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,865

$608 R$3,135

-8.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.9K

$1,963 R$10.1K

27.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,794

$1,053 R$5,423

62.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

$412 R$2,122

96.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.75

3.15%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Recife: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $507 in Recife. 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $37.00 in Recife for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $177 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 11% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $880 including rent). Recife is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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.

Rent for a central apartment: $480 in Brasilia versus $507 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 $37.00 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 $880 in Recife – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $880 in Recife versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Recife but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Recife 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 Recife gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.