Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Sao Joao da Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Sao Joao da Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $861 in Brasilia versus $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,404 in Brasilia versus $1,267 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Brasilia versus $1,744 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 9% more expensive than in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Sao Joao da Boa Vista 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$36.24

$5.43 R$28.03

29.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.29 R$208

$26.58 R$137

51.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.87

$5.69 R$29.38

11.95%

Cappuccino

$1.87 R$9.66

$2.07 R$10.69

-9.66%

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

$1.21 R$6.23

$1.25 R$6.48

-3.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.88 R$4.55

-5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.41

$2.11 R$10.87

-13.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 R$16.52

$2.69 R$13.87

18.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.07

$0.86 R$4.42

13.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.27

$1.53 R$7.88

4.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.42

$1.33 R$6.88

8.27%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.83

$2.83 R$14.60

-25.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.04 R$46.63

$12.49 R$64.5

-27.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.47

$4.23 R$21.83

-19.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.98 R$36.03

$8.66 R$44.67

-19.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 R$10.07

$1.64 R$8.44

18.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 R$7.05

$1.21 R$6.22

13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.26

$2.15 R$11.09

-43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.22

$1.75 R$9.04

-9.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.68

$1.31 R$6.76

-1.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.61

$1.23 R$6.33

4.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.82

$1.05 R$5.41

-29.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.14

$0.46 R$2.39

32.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.20

$2.20 R$11.37

-1.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 R$44.87

$5.99 R$30.93

45.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.73

$1.37 R$7.07

-18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 R$11.84

$2.15 R$11.11

6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$5.04

$0.88 R$4.53

11.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.49 R$230

$39.18 R$202

13.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 R$4.94

$1.24 R$6.38

-22.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.09

$1.07 R$5.51

-26.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$30.08

$6.46 R$33.36

-9.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.62

$0.84 R$4.31

29.76%

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

$25.4K R$131.1K

$20.6K R$106.4K

23.23%

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

$28.7K R$148.0K

$29.0K R$149.6K

-1.08%

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

$71.9 R$371

$85.5 R$441

-15.87%

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

$13.41 R$69.2

$11.91 R$61.5

12.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.39 R$105

$18.05 R$93.2

12.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 R$131

$22.62 R$117

12.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.95 R$113

$21.23 R$110

3.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 R$36.61

$4.51 R$23.30

57.21%

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

$487 R$2,513

$288 R$1,488

68.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$78.2K

$7,923 R$40.9K

91.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 R$299

$46.17 R$238

25.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.81 R$216

$40.16 R$207

4.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 R$353

$39.11 R$202

74.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$336

$40.62 R$210

60.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,124

$313 R$1,618

31.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 R$1,348

$218 R$1,124

19.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 R$5,044

$585 R$3,017

67.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,873

$435 R$2,247

27.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,523 R$13.0K

$1,620 R$8,363

55.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,737 R$8,964

$1,188 R$6,129

46.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 R$4,787

$649 R$3,348

42.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

-1.08%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 14, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $412 in Brasilia and $313 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 43% 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 $27.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $197, 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 Joao da Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Sao Joao da Boa Vista differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $790 including rent). Sao Joao da Boa Vista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $412 in Brasilia versus $313 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Joao da Boa Vista – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Brasilia versus $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.