Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Rio Branco Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Rio Branco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Brasilia versus $722 in Rio Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,123 in Rio Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,525 in Rio Branco.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 19% more expensive than Rio Branco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Rio Branco 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$36.15

$5.28 R$27.17

32.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$200

$23.58 R$121

64.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$32.57

$7.67 R$39.52

-17.60%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$10.09

$2.32 R$11.94

-15.52%

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

$1.18 R$6.07

$1.22 R$6.29

-3.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.42

$0.69 R$3.56

24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.55

$1.78 R$9.19

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.36

$1.46 R$7.50

117.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.12

$1.43 R$7.37

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.23

$1.47 R$7.55

8.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.27

$1.13 R$5.80

24.78%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.49

$1.94 R$10.01

5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$48.70

$8.24 R$42.42

14.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.51

$3.97 R$20.46

-14.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$36.25

$6.33 R$32.62

11.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$10.10

$2.15 R$11.07

-8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.23

$1.26 R$6.51

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.20

$1.19 R$6.15

0.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.54

$1.51 R$7.79

9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.38

$1.18 R$6.08

5.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.72

$1.05 R$5.41

24.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.15

$0.75 R$3.87

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.24

$0.63 R$3.23

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.97

$2.12 R$10.92

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$46.48

$7.90 R$40.69

14.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.69

$1.20 R$6.20

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.30

$2.00 R$10.31

19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.30

$0.66 R$3.40

56.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$229

$38.92 R$200

14.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.86

$1.09 R$5.62

-13.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.15

$0.77 R$3.95

5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$28.70

$6.30 R$32.45

-11.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.78

$1.14 R$5.86

-1.75%

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

$25.0K R$128.8K

$20.4K R$105.0K

22.74%

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

$29.1K R$150.0K

$27.4K R$141.1K

6.31%

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

$72.2 R$372

$60.2 R$310

19.92%

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

$13.08 R$67.4

$13.73 R$70.7

-4.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$105

$17.96 R$92.5

13.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$129

$18.20 R$93.7

37.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$110

$21.34 R$110

-0.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$36.46

$3.68 R$18.97

92.39%

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

$488 R$2,516

$145 R$745

237.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$77.2K

$6,483 R$33.4K

131.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$300

$49.31 R$254

18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$216

$41.89 R$216

0.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$359

$76.7 R$395

-9.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$336

$65.6 R$338

-0.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,100

$311 R$1,604

30.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,340

$176 R$907

47.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,886

$504 R$2,596

88.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,894

$309 R$1,594

81.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$13.1K

$1,279 R$6,587

98.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,828

$1,660 R$8,552

3.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,359

$254 R$1,306

233.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.92

8.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rio Branco: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $311 in Rio Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 234% 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 $24.00 in Rio Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $177 per month, with Rio Branco 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 Rio Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Rio Branco differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $722 including rent). Rio Branco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 234% 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 $311 in Rio Branco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio Branco – a meal for two runs $24.00 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 $722 in Rio Branco – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Rio Branco 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 Rio Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.