Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Santa Maria Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Santa Maria

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $710 in Santa Maria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,206 in Santa Maria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,702 in Santa Maria.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 35% more expensive than in Santa Maria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Santa Maria 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.15

$5.21 R$26.69

65.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$35.41 R$181

10.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.99

$6.83 R$34.98

17.13%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.05

$1.80 R$9.23

41.67%

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

$1.45 R$7.44

$1.06 R$5.42

36.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.65 R$3.35

47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$1.58 R$8.10

43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$2.90 R$14.88

34.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.94 R$4.81

13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.64 R$8.42

24.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.11 R$5.68

13.51%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.05 R$10.50

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$9.18 R$47.05

31.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.82

$3.88 R$19.88

4.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.25

$8.28 R$42.43

-0.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$2.41 R$12.37

-2.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.38 R$7.09

2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$1.40 R$7.17

-9.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.44 R$7.37

14.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.13 R$5.81

2.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.05 R$5.40

-3.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.82 R$4.22

1.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$0.86 R$4.39

13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$2.35 R$12.03

1.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$7.65 R$39.23

4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.12 R$5.72

16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.14 R$10.97

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.95 R$4.84

-3.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

$28.48 R$146

23.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.27 R$6.51

-17.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.38

$0.79 R$4.04

7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.58

$7.84 R$40.16

-23.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.17 R$6.01

9.40%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$23.0K R$117.9K

-1.65%

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

$32.1K R$164.5K

$31.2K R$160.1K

2.72%

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

$91.1 R$467

$53.1 R$272

71.63%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$12.18 R$62.4

2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$15.78 R$80.9

42.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$23.38 R$120

34.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

$11.75 R$60.2

124.26%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.26

$5.74 R$29.43

36.93%

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

$813 R$4,168

$156 R$797

422.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$2,941 R$15.1K

454.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$50.3 R$258

3.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$42.26 R$217

3.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$94.6 R$485

-12.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$61.2 R$313

41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,564

$287 R$1,472

74.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$162 R$828

64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,806

$624 R$3,199

81.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,879

$371 R$1,899

51.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

$1,959 R$10.0K

23.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,738

$666 R$3,416

155.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,489

$619 R$3,174

41.43%

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 Santa Maria: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $287 in Santa Maria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 41% 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 $35.00 in Santa Maria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $188 per month, with Santa Maria 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 Maria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Santa Maria differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $710 including rent). Santa Maria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% 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 $287 in Santa Maria. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Maria – a meal for two runs $35.00 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 $710 in Santa Maria – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $710 in Santa Maria versus $957 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Maria but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Maria 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 Maria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.