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: $870 in Brasilia versus $740 in Rio Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,150 in Rio Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,561 in Rio Branco.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 18% more expensive than Rio Branco, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Rio Branco 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$5.49 R$27.30

30.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$23.32 R$116

71.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$7.89 R$39.20

-18.12%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$2.24 R$11.15

-13.84%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.23 R$6.10

-1.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.64 R$3.19

28.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.82 R$9.07

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$1.42 R$7.07

133.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.38 R$6.84

-26.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.52 R$7.53

6.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.18 R$5.85

22.03%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$1.97 R$9.81

6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$8.16 R$40.55

10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$4.04 R$20.06

-17.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$6.45 R$32.03

3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$2.05 R$10.19

-1.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.30 R$6.48

4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.19 R$5.91

-2.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.46 R$7.23

10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.19 R$5.93

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.06 R$5.25

21.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.69 R$3.42

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.66 R$3.29

-6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$2.14 R$10.64

-1.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$7.90 R$39.29

26.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.21 R$6.03

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$1.97 R$9.79

19.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.66 R$3.27

43.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.78 R$193

12.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$1.11 R$5.52

-9.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$0.75 R$3.70

1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$6.35 R$31.58

-10.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.12 R$5.57

0.89%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$20.6K R$102.6K

23.19%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$27.7K R$137.6K

4.98%

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

$71.6 R$356

$60.1 R$299

19.13%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$13.27 R$66.0

1.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$18.13 R$90.1

13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$17.85 R$88.7

41.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.50 R$107

1.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$3.67 R$18.25

94.55%

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

$483 R$2,402

$142 R$705

240.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$6,433 R$32.0K

138.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$48.14 R$239

21.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$42.38 R$211

-1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$76.8 R$382

-11.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$63.3 R$314

2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$315 R$1,567

28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$179 R$887

42.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$499 R$2,478

93.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$304 R$1,509

84.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

$1,313 R$6,528

104.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

$1,666 R$8,278

7.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

$260 R$1,292

192.41%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Rio Branco: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $315 in Rio Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 192% 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 in Brasilia vs $23 in Rio Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $178 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 18% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $740 including rent). Rio Branco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 192% 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: $407 in Brasilia versus $315 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 $23.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $870 per month in Brasilia versus $740 in Rio Branco – a 18% 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 18% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.