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: $860 in Brasilia versus $903 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Brasilia versus $1,645 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Brasilia versus $2,386 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 5% less than in Sao Caetano do Sul, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Sao Caetano do Sul 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.53

$7.27 R$36.83

-3.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 R$197

$32.75 R$166

18.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 R$32.41

$6.83 R$34.57

-6.30%

Cappuccino

$1.94 R$9.80

$1.74 R$8.80

11.49%

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

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.20 R$6.07

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.36

$0.77 R$3.90

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.01

$1.79 R$9.05

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.14

$2.75 R$13.94

16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.00

$1.02 R$5.17

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 R$8.39

$1.85 R$9.37

-10.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.52

$1.36 R$6.90

9.56%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.19

$2.41 R$12.19

-16.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 R$45.53

$9.82 R$49.72

-8.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$16.68

$4.40 R$22.27

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$33.61

$8.44 R$42.75

-21.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.23

$2.16 R$10.94

-6.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.09

$1.65 R$8.37

-15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.09

$1.41 R$7.15

-14.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.19

$1.71 R$8.65

-5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.43 R$7.21

-9.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.25 R$6.33

4.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.09

$0.95 R$4.79

-14.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.16

$0.63 R$3.21

-1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.31 R$11.72

-6.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 R$43.91

$7.63 R$38.62

13.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.32 R$6.69

-19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.41

$2.28 R$11.54

-1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.88 R$4.48

14.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.27 R$224

$39.06 R$198

13.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.08

$1.16 R$5.85

-13.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.61 R$3.10

32.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 R$28.91

$7.68 R$38.86

-25.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.05 R$5.32

8.57%

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

$24.8K R$125.7K

$21.9K R$111.0K

13.22%

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

$28.6K R$144.7K

$28.6K R$144.9K

-0.18%

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

$69.8 R$353

$55.4 R$281

25.94%

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

$13.07 R$66.2

$13.09 R$66.3

-0.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 R$104

$21.95 R$111

-6.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$126

$48.25 R$244

-48.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 R$111

$47.64 R$241

-53.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 R$36.86

$7.19 R$36.38

1.25%

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

$491 R$2,485

$322 R$1,630

52.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.5K

$8,820 R$44.6K

75.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 R$299

$50.9 R$258

15.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 R$208

$42.16 R$213

-2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 R$344

$77.8 R$394

-12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 R$323

$75.5 R$382

-15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R$2,093

$319 R$1,616

29.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,311

$274 R$1,388

-5.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 R$4,831

$629 R$3,183

51.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,794

$916 R$4,636

-39.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 R$12.6K

$1,542 R$7,805

60.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 R$8,520

$1,121 R$5,674

50.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$929 R$4,705

$922 R$4,668

0.80%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sao Caetano do Sul: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Brasilia and $319 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $33.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $200, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $903 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 1% 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: $414 in Brasilia versus $319 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 $39.00 versus $33.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $860 per month in Brasilia versus $903 in Sao Caetano do Sul – a 5% 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 5% less than in Sao Caetano do Sul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.