Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Rio das Ostras Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Rio das Ostras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $696 in Rio das Ostras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,178 in Rio das Ostras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,661 in Rio das Ostras.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 37% more expensive than in Rio das Ostras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Rio das Ostras 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$43.93

$5.85 R$29.83

47.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$28.82 R$147

35.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.79

$6.76 R$34.48

18.34%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.98

$1.72 R$8.80

48.26%

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

$1.45 R$7.40

$1.32 R$6.71

9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.60 R$3.05

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.52

$1.18 R$6.02

91.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.85

$2.84 R$14.50

36.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$0.91 R$4.63

17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.40

$1.47 R$7.48

38.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.19 R$6.05

5.88%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.45

$1.90 R$9.71

28.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.5

$7.51 R$38.28

60.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.72

$3.36 R$17.15

20.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.05

$8.31 R$42.36

-0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.96

$1.79 R$9.15

30.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.24

$1.15 R$5.86

23.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$0.94 R$4.81

35.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.44

$1.23 R$6.28

34.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.90

$0.66 R$3.39

75.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$0.82 R$4.16

23.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.51 R$2.61

62.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$0.69 R$3.54

42.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.16

$2.09 R$10.65

14.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.75

$8.93 R$45.52

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.64

$2.00 R$10.21

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.22

$1.38 R$7.02

73.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.67

$0.94 R$4.79

-2.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

$36.22 R$185

-2.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.36

$1.32 R$6.75

-20.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.74 R$3.75

14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.43

$7.74 R$39.48

-22.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.53

$1.09 R$5.56

17.43%

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

$22.6K R$115.4K

$20.5K R$104.6K

10.34%

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

$32.1K R$163.7K

$30.2K R$153.8K

6.39%

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

$91.1 R$464

$66.3 R$338

37.25%

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

$12.43 R$63.4

$9.78 R$49.90

27.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$115

$18.70 R$95.4

20.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$23.26 R$119

35.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

$26.88 R$137

-1.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.06

$6.53 R$33.31

20.37%

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

$813 R$4,147

$319 R$1,628

154.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.2K

$7,420 R$37.8K

119.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$266

$53.0 R$270

-1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$223

$27.48 R$140

58.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$422

$64.7 R$330

27.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$441

$45.95 R$234

88.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,551

$193 R$985

158.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,357

$145 R$741

83.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,778

$511 R$2,606

121.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,865

$395 R$2,014

42.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.3K

$1,627 R$8,300

48.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,695

$1,115 R$5,686

52.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,467

$522 R$2,664

67.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

18.00%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Rio das Ostras: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $193 in Rio das Ostras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 68% 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 $29.00 in Rio das Ostras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $171 per month, with Rio das Ostras 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 das Ostras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Rio das Ostras differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $696 including rent). Rio das Ostras is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 68% 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: $500 in Brasilia versus $193 in Rio das Ostras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio das Ostras – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $957 per month in Brasilia versus $696 in Rio das Ostras – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in Rio das Ostras versus $957 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio das Ostras but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Rio das Ostras 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 das Ostras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.