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: $960 in Brasilia versus $1,002 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,761 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,171 in Brasilia versus $2,520 in Sao Caetano do Sul.

Living in Brasilia costs roughly 4% less than in Sao Caetano do Sul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Sao Caetano do Sul 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 R$44.51

$8.51 R$44.17

0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.61 R$226

$39.69 R$206

9.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 R$40.53

$8.25 R$42.85

-5.33%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.37

$2.07 R$10.74

24.64%

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

$1.41 R$7.34

$1.22 R$6.35

15.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.97

$0.83 R$4.30

15.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 R$12.05

$2.26 R$11.74

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 R$20.30

$3.55 R$18.44

10.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.55

$1.18 R$6.12

-9.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 R$10.10

$2.01 R$10.46

-2.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.69

$1.30 R$6.74

-0.77%

Eggs

$2.51 R$13.03

$2.63 R$13.67

-4.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 R$62.1

$11.48 R$59.6

4.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 R$21.06

$4.91 R$25.51

-17.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.33 R$43.27

$10.22 R$53.1

-18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$12.05

$2.34 R$12.14

-0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.68

$1.74 R$9.05

-14.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.68

$1.57 R$8.13

-17.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.55

$1.78 R$9.24

-7.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.39

$1.46 R$7.59

-15.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.93

$1.15 R$5.95

-0.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 R$4.04

$0.93 R$4.85

-16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.45

$0.85 R$4.40

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 R$12.78

$2.34 R$12.16

5.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$41.33

$8.60 R$44.65

-7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.84

$1.64 R$8.51

-19.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 R$12.65

$2.49 R$12.92

-2.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.86

$0.36 R$1.89

161.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.39 R$184

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.52

$1.29 R$6.68

-17.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.37

$0.99 R$5.15

-15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 R$32.58

$8.08 R$41.96

-22.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R$6.37

$1.27 R$6.57

-3.15%

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

$22.9K R$118.9K

$22.7K R$118.1K

0.68%

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

$30.9K R$160.4K

$30.9K R$160.7K

-0.16%

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

$88.4 R$459

$105 R$543

-15.48%

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

$12.61 R$65.5

$14.94 R$77.6

-15.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 R$114

$22.15 R$115

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.30 R$163

$47.31 R$246

-33.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.14 R$141

$44.39 R$231

-38.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 R$40.02

$9.39 R$48.76

-17.89%

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

$782 R$4,061

$427 R$2,218

83.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K R$84.4K

$9,750 R$50.6K

66.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$268

$62.2 R$323

-16.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.15 R$219

$54.8 R$285

-23.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 R$422

$95.6 R$497

-15.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 R$444

$85.4 R$443

0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 R$2,498

$400 R$2,076

20.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,362

$298 R$1,545

-11.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 R$5,934

$811 R$4,212

40.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,930

$809 R$4,200

-30.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,453 R$12.7K

$1,777 R$9,229

38.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,670 R$8,673

$1,401 R$7,277

19.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$837 R$4,348

$902 R$4,683

-7.17%

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Sao Caetano do Sul: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Brasilia and $400 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Caetano do Sul pays 8% 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: $44.00 in Brasilia vs $40.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $226, 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 4% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $1,002 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Sao Caetano do Sul. 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: $481 in Brasilia versus $400 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $782 in Brasilia versus $427 in Sao Caetano do Sul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $40.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $960 in Brasilia versus $1,002 in Sao Caetano do Sul, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasilia but tight or insufficient in Sao Caetano do Sul. The gap between the two cities makes Brasilia 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 Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Sao Caetano do Sul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.