Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Sao Caetano do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Sao Caetano do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $880 in Brasilia versus $907 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Brasilia versus $1,638 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Brasilia versus $2,369 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 3% less than in Sao Caetano do Sul, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 34% lower, Sao Caetano do Sul 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 R$35.81

$7.00 R$34.85

2.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 R$198

$31.85 R$159

24.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.07

$6.90 R$34.37

-9.57%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.35

$1.74 R$8.66

8.05%

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

$1.16 R$5.80

$1.21 R$6.01

-4.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.36

$0.82 R$4.08

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.08

$1.81 R$9.02

0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 R$16.35

$2.84 R$14.13

15.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.63

$1.02 R$5.10

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.07

$1.83 R$9.12

-11.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.01

$1.30 R$6.47

8.46%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.28 R$11.33

-7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 R$46.27

$10.10 R$50.3

-8.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 R$16.48

$4.39 R$21.85

-24.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R$34.12

$8.44 R$42.03

-18.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 R$9.96

$2.09 R$10.40

-4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.69

$1.66 R$8.29

-19.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.05

$1.47 R$7.34

-17.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.33

$1.72 R$8.56

-2.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.11

$1.40 R$6.97

-12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.48

$1.30 R$6.50

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.70

$0.95 R$4.73

-22.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.06

$0.68 R$3.38

-10.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.85

$2.30 R$11.45

-5.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 R$50.3

$8.08 R$40.22

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.54

$1.37 R$6.81

-18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R$11.72

$2.36 R$11.73

-0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.11

$0.88 R$4.40

17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 R$217

$38.15 R$190

14.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.70

$1.14 R$5.68

-17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$3.93

$0.58 R$2.90

36.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 R$28.97

$7.85 R$39.10

-25.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.66

$1.06 R$5.26

7.55%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$21.5K R$106.8K

18.25%

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

$28.2K R$140.6K

$28.4K R$141.3K

-0.51%

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

$69.9 R$348

$54.4 R$271

28.55%

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

$13.04 R$64.9

$13.34 R$66.5

-2.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.00 R$99.6

$22.15 R$110

-9.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$124

$48.16 R$240

-48.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.77 R$108

$46.19 R$230

-52.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 R$34.84

$7.27 R$36.22

-3.71%

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

$488 R$2,430

$330 R$1,645

47.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$74.5K

$8,710 R$43.4K

71.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$289

$51.1 R$254

13.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 R$209

$41.93 R$209

0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 R$344

$78.0 R$388

-11.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 R$319

$77.9 R$388

-17.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 R$2,003

$324 R$1,615

24.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,309

$279 R$1,387

-5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 R$4,871

$640 R$3,185

52.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,808

$907 R$4,519

-37.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,751 R$13.7K

$1,681 R$8,369

63.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 R$9,042

$1,198 R$5,968

51.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 R$3,794

$961 R$4,784

-20.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.17

6.27%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sao Caetano do Sul: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Brasilia and $324 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Caetano do Sul pays 26% 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: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $32.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Groceries flip the comparison at $183 vs $202, 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 Sao Caetano do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Sao Caetano do Sul differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $907 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sao Caetano do Sul earns 26% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $402 in Brasilia versus $324 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $32.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $880 per month in Brasilia versus $907 in Sao Caetano do Sul – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Brasilia 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 Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Sao Caetano do Sul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.