Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Santo Andre Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Santo Andre

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $949 in Santo Andre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,573 in Santo Andre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $2,196 in Santo Andre.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 1% more expensive than in Santo Andre, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Santo Andre 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$43.93

$8.70 R$44.34

-1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$48.67 R$248

-19.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.79

$8.09 R$41.26

-1.11%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.98

$2.47 R$12.60

3.24%

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

$1.45 R$7.40

$1.36 R$6.91

6.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.90 R$4.60

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.52

$2.28 R$11.64

-0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.85

$3.72 R$18.97

4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$1.07 R$5.44

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.40

$1.88 R$9.58

8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.34 R$6.85

-5.97%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.45

$2.65 R$13.54

-7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.5

$11.19 R$57.1

7.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.72

$4.70 R$23.99

-13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.05

$10.36 R$52.8

-20.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.96

$2.32 R$11.81

0.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.24

$1.81 R$9.21

-21.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$1.53 R$7.82

-16.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.44

$1.60 R$8.15

3.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.90

$1.29 R$6.56

-10.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$1.21 R$6.15

-16.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.90 R$4.60

-7.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$0.80 R$4.08

22.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.16

$2.48 R$12.64

-3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.75

$7.68 R$39.19

4.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.64

$1.51 R$7.72

-13.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.22

$2.51 R$12.79

-4.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.67

$0.95 R$4.83

-3.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

$26.49 R$135

32.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.36

$1.19 R$6.05

-11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.35

$1.00 R$5.10

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.43

$8.27 R$42.16

-27.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.53

$1.25 R$6.38

2.40%

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

$22.6K R$115.4K

$22.8K R$116.2K

-0.71%

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

$32.1K R$163.7K

$31.0K R$157.9K

3.64%

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

$91.1 R$464

$64.3 R$328

41.71%

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

$12.43 R$63.4

$15.46 R$78.8

-19.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$115

$21.44 R$109

5.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$24.40 R$124

29.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

$27.15 R$138

-2.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.06

$7.92 R$40.38

-0.76%

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

$813 R$4,147

$484 R$2,466

68.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.2K

$15.4K R$78.4K

6.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$266

$60.5 R$308

-13.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$223

$55.8 R$285

-21.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$422

$91.7 R$468

-9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$441

$81.8 R$417

5.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,551

$397 R$2,026

25.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,357

$285 R$1,452

-6.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,778

$652 R$3,323

73.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,865

$515 R$2,626

9.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.3K

$1,634 R$8,334

47.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,695

$1,137 R$5,797

49.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,467

$537 R$2,738

63.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

10.81

9.16%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Santo Andre: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $397 in Santo Andre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 63% 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 $49.00 in Santo Andre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $218 per month, with Brasilia 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 Santo Andre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Santo Andre differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $949 including rent). Santo Andre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 63% 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 $397 in Santo Andre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santo Andre – a meal for two runs $49.00 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 $949 in Santo Andre – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $949 in Santo Andre versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santo Andre but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Andre 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 Santo Andre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.