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: $974 in Brasilia versus $812 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,288 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,764 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 20% more expensive than in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Sao Joao da Boa Vista 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$5.44 R$27.97

60.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$22.13 R$114

72.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$6.73 R$34.59

20.65%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$1.98 R$10.19

29.80%

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$1.16 R$5.94

24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.85 R$4.39

14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$2.00 R$10.30

15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$1.93 R$9.91

95.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.10 R$5.65

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.54 R$7.92

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$0.96 R$4.91

37.50%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$2.36 R$12.13

3.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$9.56 R$49.14

22.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$4.77 R$24.53

-14.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$9.43 R$48.50

-10.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$1.92 R$9.86

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$1.18 R$6.09

21.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$0.92 R$4.75

42.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.52 R$7.80

5.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$0.77 R$3.95

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$0.79 R$4.08

32.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.79 R$4.06

1.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.75 R$3.88

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$2.30 R$11.84

3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$5.73 R$29.46

41.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$1.20 R$6.19

7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$1.94 R$9.95

20.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$0.92 R$4.75

13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$43.98 R$226

-20.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.47 R$7.56

-29.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$1.53 R$7.87

-39.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$7.85 R$40.35

-19.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.04 R$5.36

24.04%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$19.8K R$101.6K

18.14%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$32.9K R$169.0K

-0.90%

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

$95.0 R$488

$95.2 R$489

-0.22%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$9.65 R$49.60

27.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$19.68 R$101

13.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$26.94 R$139

16.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$28.02 R$144

-3.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$5.36 R$27.58

46.46%

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

$811 R$4,169

$267 R$1,373

203.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$10,000 R$51.4K

65.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$53.0 R$273

-2.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$37.05 R$191

18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$50.3 R$259

65.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$58.1 R$299

47.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$344 R$1,770

39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$191 R$981

37.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$654 R$3,361

69.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$464 R$2,386

19.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,562 R$8,031

59.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

$1,209 R$6,214

41.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

$662 R$3,404

22.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

12.79

-5.24%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $344 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 22% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $22.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $186 per month, with Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Sao Joao da Boa Vista differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $812 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 22% 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $344 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 $22.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $812 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $812 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Joao da Boa Vista but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.