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: $862 in Brasilia versus $676 in Santa Maria.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,082 in Santa Maria.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,488 in Santa Maria.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 27% more expensive than Santa Maria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Santa Maria 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.50

$4.41 R$22.32

59.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$197

$26.70 R$135

45.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$31.99

$6.39 R$32.32

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.91

$1.36 R$6.88

44.12%

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

$1.18 R$5.96

$0.94 R$4.78

25.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.59 R$2.99

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.38

$1.45 R$7.35

27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.07

$3.55 R$17.97

-10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.03

$0.83 R$4.21

19.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.08

$1.38 R$6.97

15.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$1.06 R$5.35

33.02%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.30

$1.50 R$7.60

36.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.83

$8.47 R$42.85

11.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.19

$3.58 R$18.14

-5.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.60

$7.62 R$38.53

-7.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.92

$2.08 R$10.51

-5.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.26 R$6.37

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.08

$1.31 R$6.65

-8.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.38

$1.47 R$7.43

12.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.27

$1.09 R$5.53

13.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.60

$1.08 R$5.45

21.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.77 R$3.87

5.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.19

$0.62 R$3.12

1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.78

$1.95 R$9.89

9.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.65

$7.74 R$39.15

16.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.59

$1.01 R$5.11

8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.08

$1.89 R$9.59

26.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.21

$0.94 R$4.74

9.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$225

$26.77 R$135

65.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.77

$1.58 R$8.02

-40.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.07

$1.04 R$5.26

-22.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$28.19

$5.28 R$26.71

5.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.68

$0.99 R$5.02

13.13%

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

$25.0K R$126.5K

$23.1K R$116.9K

8.20%

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

$29.1K R$147.3K

$27.1K R$137.1K

7.45%

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

$72.2 R$365

$48.41 R$245

49.20%

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

$13.08 R$66.2

$14.90 R$75.4

-12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$103

$16.45 R$83.2

24.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$126

$21.75 R$110

14.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$108

$11.02 R$55.7

93.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.81

$5.15 R$26.03

37.48%

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

$488 R$2,471

$142 R$716

245.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.8K

$2,668 R$13.5K

461.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$295

$49.06 R$248

18.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$212

$38.92 R$197

7.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$353

$81.3 R$411

-14.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$330

$57.0 R$288

14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,062

$272 R$1,379

49.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,317

$156 R$788

67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,799

$573 R$2,901

65.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,842

$333 R$1,687

68.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.9K

$1,954 R$9,884

30.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,671

$683 R$3,455

150.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,281

$623 R$3,154

35.73%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Maria: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $272 in Santa Maria. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 36% 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 $27.00 in Santa Maria for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $169 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 27% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $676 including rent). Santa Maria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 36% 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $272 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 $27.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Brasilia versus $676 in Santa Maria – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.