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: $880 in Brasilia versus $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Brasilia versus $1,257 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Brasilia versus $1,723 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 11% more expensive than Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 34% lower, Sao Joao da Boa Vista 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 R$35.88

$5.36 R$26.75

34.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 R$198

$26.62 R$133

49.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.13

$5.81 R$28.97

7.40%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.37

$2.07 R$10.34

-9.18%

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

$1.16 R$5.81

$1.20 R$5.96

-3.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.37

$0.92 R$4.60

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.10

$2.03 R$10.12

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 R$16.38

$2.72 R$13.59

20.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.64

$0.94 R$4.70

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.09

$1.54 R$7.69

5.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.02

$1.33 R$6.63

6.02%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.47

$2.85 R$14.21

-26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 R$46.36

$12.75 R$63.6

-27.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 R$16.51

$4.08 R$20.35

-18.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R$34.19

$8.68 R$43.29

-21.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 R$9.98

$1.63 R$8.13

22.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.70

$1.24 R$6.20

8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.06

$2.08 R$10.39

-41.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.34

$1.81 R$9.02

-7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.12

$1.28 R$6.38

-3.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.49

$1.29 R$6.45

0.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.71

$1.10 R$5.50

-32.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.07

$0.47 R$2.34

29.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.88

$2.10 R$10.47

3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 R$50.4

$5.85 R$29.19

72.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.55

$1.35 R$6.75

-17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R$11.74

$2.09 R$10.42

12.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.12

$0.89 R$4.44

15.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 R$218

$38.62 R$193

13.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.71

$1.28 R$6.41

-26.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$3.94

$1.06 R$5.30

-25.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 R$29.03

$6.38 R$31.84

-8.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.67

$0.84 R$4.18

35.71%

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

$25.4K R$126.6K

$21.1K R$105.3K

20.23%

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

$28.2K R$140.9K

$29.3K R$146.0K

-3.53%

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

$69.9 R$349

$86.6 R$432

-19.26%

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

$13.04 R$65.1

$11.75 R$58.7

10.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.00 R$99.8

$17.93 R$89.5

11.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$124

$22.82 R$114

9.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.77 R$109

$21.99 R$110

-1.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 R$34.91

$4.52 R$22.56

54.87%

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

$488 R$2,435

$284 R$1,419

71.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$74.6K

$8,037 R$40.1K

86.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$290

$46.49 R$232

24.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 R$209

$39.92 R$199

5.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 R$345

$38.93 R$194

77.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 R$320

$41.18 R$206

55.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 R$2,007

$318 R$1,588

26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,312

$219 R$1,090

20.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 R$4,881

$591 R$2,951

65.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,813

$434 R$2,167

29.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,751 R$13.7K

$1,644 R$8,205

67.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 R$9,060

$1,137 R$5,675

59.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 R$3,801

$681 R$3,396

11.94%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Brasilia and $318 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 12% 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 $183 vs $198, 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 11% in total monthly costs ($880 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.

Brasilia pays 12% 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: $402 in Brasilia versus $318 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 $880 per month in Brasilia versus $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista – a 11% 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 11% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.