Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Salvador Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Salvador

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $787 in Salvador.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,209 in Salvador.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,630 in Salvador.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 10% more expensive than in Salvador, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Salvador 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.45

$6.33 R$32.35

15.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$205

$27.22 R$139

47.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.57

$6.73 R$34.40

-5.35%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.59

$1.80 R$9.20

4.44%

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

$1.18 R$6.03

$0.76 R$3.89

55.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.40

$0.62 R$3.16

38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.37

$2.14 R$10.93

-14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.88

$4.07 R$20.78

-18.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.10

$1.14 R$5.80

-12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.22

$1.30 R$6.64

23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.23

$1.19 R$6.09

18.49%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.81

$1.87 R$9.54

13.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.59

$9.11 R$46.56

4.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.82

$3.86 R$19.72

-14.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.37

$6.57 R$33.56

5.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.34

$1.61 R$8.24

25.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.13

$1.56 R$7.97

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.87

$0.84 R$4.28

36.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.19

$1.16 R$5.95

37.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.28

$0.99 R$5.08

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$1.24 R$6.33

4.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.68 R$3.47

8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.34

$0.77 R$3.95

-15.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.22

$2.00 R$10.24

10.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.68

$5.81 R$29.69

37.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.26 R$6.44

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.53

$1.92 R$9.84

17.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.99

$0.93 R$4.74

5.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$226

$44.84 R$229

-1.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.87

$1.03 R$5.27

-7.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.06

$1.08 R$5.54

-26.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.52

$9.09 R$46.46

-36.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.73

$1.03 R$5.25

8.74%

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

$24.7K R$126.4K

$17.9K R$91.7K

37.80%

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

$29.3K R$149.8K

$26.3K R$134.5K

11.39%

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

$71.2 R$364

$68.0 R$347

4.78%

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

$13.29 R$67.9

$14.32 R$73.2

-7.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$16.22 R$82.9

28.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$19.95 R$102

27.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$111

$27.48 R$140

-21.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.11

$5.68 R$29.05

24.47%

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

$480 R$2,453

$225 R$1,149

113.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$78.0K

$10.7K R$54.6K

42.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$294

$52.1 R$266

10.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$209

$30.02 R$153

36.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$347

$67.6 R$346

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$328

$77.7 R$397

-17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,089

$261 R$1,336

56.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,309

$216 R$1,106

18.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,935

$536 R$2,740

80.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,830

$345 R$1,765

60.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.8K

$2,097 R$10.7K

19.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,593

$1,340 R$6,851

25.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,794

$382 R$1,954

145.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.35

14.69%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Salvador: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $261 in Salvador. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 145% 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 $27.00 in Salvador for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $169 per month, with Salvador 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 Salvador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Salvador differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $787 including rent). Salvador is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 145% 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 $261 in Salvador. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salvador – a meal for two runs $27.00 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 $787 in Salvador – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Salvador 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 Salvador gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.