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: $969 in Brasilia versus $809 in Rio Branco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Brasilia versus $1,275 in Rio Branco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,132 in Brasilia versus $1,742 in Rio Branco.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 20% more expensive than in Rio Branco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Rio Branco 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 R$45.75

$6.71 R$34.41

32.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 R$199

$25.47 R$131

52.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 R$43.54

$7.12 R$36.52

19.24%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.24

$2.85 R$14.59

-9.47%

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

$1.41 R$7.22

$1.34 R$6.85

5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.74 R$3.79

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$12.07

$1.93 R$9.89

22.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 R$19.83

$2.92 R$14.97

32.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.53

$1.05 R$5.38

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.43

$1.61 R$8.24

26.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.21 R$6.20

5.79%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$2.10 R$10.76

15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 R$60.6

$8.95 R$45.90

31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R$21.09

$4.07 R$20.84

0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.47

$8.03 R$41.16

5.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 R$12.39

$2.23 R$11.45

8.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.30 R$6.67

12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.55

$1.18 R$6.07

8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.45

$1.57 R$8.07

5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$1.16 R$5.94

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.03 R$5.29

3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.82 R$4.23

-3.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.85

$0.78 R$4.01

21.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.29

$2.39 R$12.25

0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 R$42.17

$7.83 R$40.15

5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.25 R$6.42

-2.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.02

$2.03 R$10.42

15.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.67 R$3.43

49.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$180

$43.03 R$221

-18.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.28 R$6.56

-16.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.83 R$4.24

10.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$30.99

$7.82 R$40.08

-22.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.33 R$6.82

-1.50%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.4K R$119.8K

-0.15%

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

$31.9K R$163.6K

$32.2K R$165.0K

-0.86%

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

$96.4 R$494

$72.3 R$371

33.30%

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

$12.61 R$64.6

$12.12 R$62.1

4.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$112

$20.88 R$107

4.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$159

$21.39 R$110

45.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$138

$26.73 R$137

1.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.38

$3.36 R$17.23

128.57%

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

$822 R$4,214

$285 R$1,459

188.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$84.3K

$7,359 R$37.7K

123.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$265

$53.9 R$276

-4.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.32 R$222

$48.13 R$247

-9.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 R$427

$90.1 R$462

-7.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R$443

$71.0 R$364

21.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,453

$337 R$1,730

41.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,322

$188 R$962

37.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 R$5,719

$536 R$2,749

108.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,855

$333 R$1,708

67.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

$1,593 R$8,166

54.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,962

$1,568 R$8,039

11.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,327

$255 R$1,307

230.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.12

8.99%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Rio Branco: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Brasilia and $337 in Rio Branco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 231% 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 $25.00 in Rio Branco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $187 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 20% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $809 including rent). Rio Branco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 231% 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: $479 in Brasilia versus $337 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 $25.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Brasilia versus $809 in Rio Branco – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $809 in Rio Branco versus $969 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rio Branco but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Rio Branco 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 Rio Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.