Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Santa Cruz do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Santa Cruz do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Brasilia versus $854 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,362 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,870 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 2% more expensive than Santa Cruz do Sul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Santa Cruz do Sul 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.18 R$35.71

$4.39 R$21.84

63.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 R$198

$26.57 R$132

50.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.11

$4.58 R$22.78

41.05%

Cappuccino

$1.93 R$9.58

$1.61 R$7.98

19.88%

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

$1.21 R$5.99

$1.16 R$5.79

4.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.07

$0.77 R$3.84

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$2.10 R$10.42

-13.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 R$16.51

$2.62 R$13.04

26.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.04

$0.89 R$4.45

13.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.04

$1.40 R$6.97

15.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.05 R$5.21

37.14%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 R$44.76

$10.90 R$54.2

-17.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 R$16.53

$4.43 R$22.02

-24.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.66 R$33.09

$9.39 R$46.69

-29.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R$9.96

$1.98 R$9.85

1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.74

$1.31 R$6.53

3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.33 R$6.61

-12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.03

$1.50 R$7.43

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.16

$1.13 R$5.63

9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.02 R$5.08

26.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.69

$0.77 R$3.80

-3.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.09

$0.62 R$3.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.49

$1.97 R$9.80

7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.00 R$49.69

$8.22 R$40.84

21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.02 R$5.04

3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.74

$1.85 R$9.21

27.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.72

$0.88 R$4.39

7.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.46 R$216

$38.62 R$192

12.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$4.98

$1.67 R$8.28

-40.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.76

$1.01 R$5.03

-24.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.27

$5.49 R$27.28

3.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.07 R$5.30

5.61%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$24.2K R$120.1K

5.25%

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

$29.1K R$144.5K

$27.4K R$136.2K

6.07%

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

$71.6 R$356

$61.2 R$304

17.03%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$14.81 R$73.6

-9.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 R$102

$19.85 R$98.7

3.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$126

$22.73 R$113

11.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.88 R$109

$21.61 R$107

1.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 R$35.50

$6.28 R$31.22

13.69%

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

$483 R$2,402

$312 R$1,551

54.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$76.1K

$7,233 R$35.9K

111.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 R$291

$48.81 R$243

20.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.60 R$207

$56.2 R$279

-25.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 R$339

$81.0 R$402

-15.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$323

$63.0 R$313

3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 R$2,021

$496 R$2,464

-17.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 R$1,262

$284 R$1,411

-10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 R$4,795

$864 R$4,296

11.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,787

$566 R$2,813

-0.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

$403 R$2,002

88.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

18.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Brasilia and $496 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 89% 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 $27 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Groceries flip the comparison at $182 vs $190, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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 Santa Cruz do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Santa Cruz do Sul differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($870 vs $854 including rent). Santa Cruz do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 89% 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 $496 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul – 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 $870 per month in Brasilia versus $854 in Santa Cruz do Sul – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $854 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $870 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz do Sul but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz do Sul 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 Santa Cruz do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.