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: $957 in Brasilia versus $875 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,429 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,983 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 9% more expensive than in Santa Cruz do Sul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Santa Cruz do Sul 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.14

$5.34 R$27.38

61.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$37.98 R$195

2.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.98

$4.81 R$24.62

66.32%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.04

$1.70 R$8.71

50.00%

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

$1.45 R$7.44

$1.41 R$7.21

2.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.89 R$4.55

7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$2.37 R$12.14

-4.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$2.82 R$14.47

37.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.03 R$5.26

3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.60 R$8.21

27.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.11 R$5.69

13.51%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.51 R$12.85

-2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$10.05 R$51.5

20.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.81

$4.55 R$23.32

-10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.24

$9.64 R$49.37

-14.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$2.35 R$12.02

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.38 R$7.06

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$1.37 R$7.01

-7.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.59 R$8.15

3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.17 R$6.00

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.09 R$5.60

-7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.25

$0.87 R$4.47

-4.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$0.86 R$4.38

13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$2.47 R$12.67

-3.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$7.77 R$39.81

2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.09 R$5.56

19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.10 R$10.74

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.93 R$4.75

-1.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.26 R$6.47

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.37

$0.84 R$4.30

1.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.57

$8.07 R$41.34

-26.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.25 R$6.42

2.40%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$22.7K R$116.5K

-0.51%

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

$32.1K R$164.4K

$33.0K R$169.1K

-2.75%

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

$91.1 R$467

$71.3 R$365

27.79%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$12.00 R$61.5

3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$21.15 R$108

6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$26.87 R$138

17.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.25

$7.07 R$36.22

11.17%

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

$813 R$4,167

$551 R$2,821

47.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$25.6K R$131.2K

-36.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$48.96 R$251

6.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$55.8 R$286

-21.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$101 R$515

-17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$75.6 R$388

14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,563

$530 R$2,716

-5.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$303 R$1,555

-12.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,805

$912 R$4,674

24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,878

$607 R$3,111

-7.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,736

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,488

$393 R$2,013

122.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

11.5

2.61%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $530 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 123% 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 $38.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $201 per month, with Santa Cruz do Sul 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 Santa Cruz do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Santa Cruz do Sul differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $875 including rent). Santa Cruz do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 123% 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 $530 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Brasilia versus $551 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $875 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $957 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 9% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.