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: $862 in Brasilia versus $776 in Recife.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,308 in Recife.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,840 in Recife.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 11% more expensive than Recife, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Recife 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.50

$4.92 R$24.87

42.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$197

$28.15 R$142

38.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.99

$6.93 R$35.04

-8.80%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.91

$1.76 R$8.89

11.36%

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

$1.18 R$5.96

$0.84 R$4.24

40.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.50 R$2.52

72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.38

$1.42 R$7.16

30.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.07

$2.94 R$14.89

8.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.03

$1.19 R$6.04

-16.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.08

$1.42 R$7.20

12.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$1.27 R$6.44

11.02%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.30

$2.38 R$12.06

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.83

$6.82 R$34.50

38.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.19

$3.67 R$18.58

-7.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.60

$7.15 R$36.16

-1.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.92

$2.24 R$11.33

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.29 R$6.54

8.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.08

$1.07 R$5.40

12.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.38

$1.55 R$7.86

7.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.27

$1.32 R$6.69

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.60

$1.09 R$5.50

20.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.50 R$2.52

62.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.19

$0.74 R$3.76

-14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.78

$1.60 R$8.09

33.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.65

$7.87 R$39.84

14.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.59

$1.20 R$6.05

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.08

$1.67 R$8.45

43.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.21

$0.72 R$3.64

43.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$225

$35.80 R$181

24.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.77

$1.14 R$5.76

-17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.07

$0.64 R$3.24

26.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$28.19

$3.50 R$17.71

59.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.04 R$5.27

7.69%

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

$25.0K R$126.5K

$15.9K R$80.6K

57.06%

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

$29.1K R$147.3K

$21.5K R$108.8K

35.38%

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

$72.2 R$365

$71.7 R$363

0.78%

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

$13.08 R$66.2

$15.73 R$79.6

-16.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$103

$16.47 R$83.3

23.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$126

$19.61 R$99.2

27.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$108

$31.00 R$157

-31.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.81

$7.05 R$35.68

0.43%

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

$488 R$2,471

$253 R$1,282

92.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.8K

$10.6K R$53.7K

41.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$295

$42.37 R$214

37.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$212

$50.1 R$253

-16.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$353

$82.5 R$417

-15.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$330

$77.9 R$394

-16.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,062

$322 R$1,631

26.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,317

$201 R$1,016

29.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,799

$580 R$2,934

63.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,842

$540 R$2,733

4.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.9K

$1,940 R$9,815

30.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,671

$1,056 R$5,341

62.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,281

$420 R$2,126

101.35%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Recife: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $322 in Recife. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 101% 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 $28.00 in Recife for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 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 11% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $776 including rent). Recife is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 101% more on average, 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $322 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 $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Brasilia versus $776 in Recife – a 11% 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 11% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.