Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Ribeirao Preto Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Ribeirao Preto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $770 in Ribeirao Preto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,215 in Ribeirao Preto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,659 in Ribeirao Preto.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.45

$6.69 R$34.19

9.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$205

$30.87 R$158

29.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.57

$6.55 R$33.48

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.59

$1.56 R$7.98

20.51%

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

$1.18 R$6.03

$0.85 R$4.32

38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.40

$0.59 R$2.99

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.37

$1.09 R$5.59

67.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.88

$1.83 R$9.34

80.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.82 R$4.17

21.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.22

$1.58 R$8.05

1.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.23

$1.00 R$5.09

41.00%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.81

$2.09 R$10.69

1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.59

$8.19 R$41.86

16.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.82

$3.58 R$18.28

-8.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.37

$7.34 R$37.51

-5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.34

$2.20 R$11.24

-8.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.13

$1.33 R$6.77

5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.87

$1.18 R$6.03

-2.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.19

$1.48 R$7.55

8.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.14 R$5.85

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$0.95 R$4.85

35.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.85 R$4.33

-12.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.34

$0.78 R$4.00

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.22

$2.21 R$11.27

-0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.68

$8.93 R$45.61

-10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.13 R$5.75

-4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.53

$1.94 R$9.90

16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.99

$0.92 R$4.70

6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$226

$48.68 R$249

-9.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.87

$1.11 R$5.68

-14.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$1.24 R$6.31

-36.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.52

$7.34 R$37.52

-21.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.73

$1.02 R$5.23

9.80%

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

$24.7K R$126.4K

$18.6K R$95.0K

32.98%

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

$29.3K R$149.8K

$27.5K R$140.6K

6.55%

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

$71.2 R$364

$75.9 R$388

-6.17%

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

$13.29 R$67.9

$13.66 R$69.8

-2.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$17.26 R$88.2

20.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$19.06 R$97.4

33.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$111

$22.67 R$116

-4.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.11

$5.71 R$29.18

23.82%

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

$480 R$2,453

$212 R$1,086

125.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$78.0K

$5,386 R$27.5K

183.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$294

$38.40 R$196

49.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$209

$33.73 R$172

21.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$347

$70.5 R$360

-3.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$328

$49.31 R$252

30.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,089

$247 R$1,264

65.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,309

$199 R$1,018

28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,935

$460 R$2,351

109.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,830

$358 R$1,830

54.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.8K

$1,284 R$6,561

94.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,593

$933 R$4,770

80.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,794

$578 R$2,953

62.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

14.44

-17.80%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ribeirao Preto: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $247 in Ribeirao Preto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 62% 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 $31.00 in Ribeirao Preto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $177 per month, with Ribeirao Preto 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 Ribeirao Preto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Ribeirao Preto differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $770 including rent). Ribeirao Preto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% 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 $247 in Ribeirao Preto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ribeirao Preto – a meal for two runs $31.00 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 $770 in Ribeirao Preto – 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 Ribeirao Preto 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 Ribeirao Preto 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.