Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Brasilia versus $797 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,244 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,691 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 20% more expensive than in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$43.93

$4.27 R$21.80

101.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$26.22 R$134

48.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.79

$8.10 R$41.33

-1.23%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.98

$2.23 R$11.37

14.35%

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

$1.45 R$7.40

$1.27 R$6.49

14.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.73 R$3.72

31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.52

$1.97 R$10.06

14.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.85

$3.44 R$17.55

13.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$1.02 R$5.19

4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.40

$1.79 R$9.13

13.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.18 R$6.01

6.78%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.45

$1.96 R$9.99

24.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.5

$6.67 R$34.01

80.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.72

$4.10 R$20.92

-0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.05

$6.26 R$31.94

31.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.96

$2.29 R$11.67

2.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.24

$1.12 R$5.72

26.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$0.74 R$3.78

71.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.44

$1.49 R$7.59

10.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.90

$1.23 R$6.26

-5.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$1.20 R$6.13

-15.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.94 R$4.78

-11.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$0.65 R$3.33

50.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.16

$1.90 R$9.67

25.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.75

$6.83 R$34.81

16.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.64

$1.10 R$5.61

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.22

$2.26 R$11.54

6.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.67

$0.97 R$4.97

-5.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

$29.30 R$149

19.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.57 R$2.89

84.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.74 R$3.75

14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.43

$6.58 R$33.56

-9.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.53

$1.20 R$6.13

6.67%

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

$22.6K R$115.4K

$18.7K R$95.5K

20.79%

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

$32.1K R$163.7K

$29.8K R$152.1K

7.63%

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

$91.1 R$464

$63.6 R$324

43.18%

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

$12.43 R$63.4

$13.28 R$67.7

-6.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$115

$18.15 R$92.6

24.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$20.85 R$106

51.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

$18.96 R$96.7

38.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.06

$3.76 R$19.18

109.04%

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

$813 R$4,147

$275 R$1,404

195.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.2K

$7,665 R$39.1K

112.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$266

$64.9 R$331

-19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$223

$55.5 R$283

-21.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$422

$90.5 R$462

-8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$441

$44.41 R$227

94.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,551

$418 R$2,134

19.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,357

$258 R$1,315

3.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,778

$583 R$2,974

94.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,865

$447 R$2,279

25.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.3K

$2,097 R$10.7K

14.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,695

$799 R$4,076

113.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,467

$525 R$2,675

66.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

8.23

43.38%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $418 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 67% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $26.00 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $170 per month, with Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $797 including rent). Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% 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: $500 in Brasilia versus $418 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $957 per month in Brasilia versus $797 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $797 in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Jose do Rio Preto SP 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 Jose do Rio Preto SP 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.