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: $863 in Brasilia versus $865 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,403 in Brasilia versus $1,378 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,944 in Brasilia versus $1,892 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Monthly costs are close between Brasilia and Santa Cruz do Sul; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 R$36.53

$4.52 R$22.84

59.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 R$198

$27.08 R$137

44.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.22

$4.53 R$22.92

40.62%

Cappuccino

$1.86 R$9.41

$1.64 R$8.30

13.41%

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

$1.17 R$5.90

$1.17 R$5.93

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.83 R$4.21

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.91

$2.22 R$11.23

-20.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.00

$2.63 R$13.31

20.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.83 R$4.18

12.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 R$8.36

$1.44 R$7.28

14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.49

$1.08 R$5.47

37.04%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$2.14 R$10.81

-6.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$46.83

$10.90 R$55.1

-15.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 R$17.24

$4.52 R$22.88

-24.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.89 R$34.86

$9.25 R$46.79

-25.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.26

$2.04 R$10.32

-0.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.33 R$6.72

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.85

$1.27 R$6.43

-8.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.18

$1.46 R$7.40

10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.13 R$5.72

8.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.50

$1.07 R$5.42

20.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.80

$0.72 R$3.64

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.08

$0.63 R$3.17

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$1.90 R$9.59

14.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.78

$7.89 R$39.92

2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.59

$1.02 R$5.18

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$1.85 R$9.37

22.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.92

$0.94 R$4.75

3.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.81 R$222

$39.12 R$198

11.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.07

$1.64 R$8.30

-39.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R$4.07

$1.06 R$5.34

-24.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 R$28.80

$5.27 R$26.66

7.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.10 R$5.55

-0.91%

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

$25.3K R$128.2K

$24.5K R$124.1K

3.32%

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

$28.5K R$144.2K

$27.7K R$140.1K

2.89%

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

$70.2 R$355

$59.8 R$302

17.52%

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

$13.06 R$66.1

$14.66 R$74.2

-10.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.06 R$101

$20.18 R$102

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$125

$22.18 R$112

11.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.81 R$110

$21.67 R$110

0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 R$36.60

$6.21 R$31.42

16.59%

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

$485 R$2,453

$312 R$1,577

55.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$76.4K

$7,213 R$36.5K

109.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 R$290

$48.49 R$245

18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.20 R$213

$56.4 R$285

-25.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$344

$80.4 R$406

-15.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 R$321

$62.3 R$315

1.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,082

$511 R$2,586

-19.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,329

$276 R$1,396

-4.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 R$4,920

$867 R$4,386

12.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 R$2,846

$571 R$2,887

-1.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 R$12.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 R$8,829

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,694

$396 R$2,001

134.63%

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: July 21, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $511 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 135% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $27.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 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

Average pay runs 135% 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: $412 in Brasilia versus $511 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $485 in Brasilia versus $312 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 Brasilia – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $27.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $863 in Brasilia versus $865 in Santa Cruz do Sul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasilia but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz do Sul. The gap between the two cities makes Brasilia 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.

It comes down to priorities – Brasilia wins on affordability, Santa Cruz do Sul on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.