Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Serra Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Serra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $722 in Serra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,102 in Serra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,482 in Serra.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 20% more expensive than in Serra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Serra 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.31

$4.33 R$22.03

69.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$204

$20.63 R$105

94.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.45

$6.27 R$31.92

1.59%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.56

$1.69 R$8.60

11.24%

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

$1.18 R$6.01

$0.71 R$3.59

66.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.38

$0.52 R$2.64

65.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.33

$0.84 R$4.30

117.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.82

$3.33 R$16.94

-0.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.08

$0.87 R$4.43

14.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.19

$1.51 R$7.70

6.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.20

$1.00 R$5.10

41.00%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.77

$1.61 R$8.22

31.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.40

$7.37 R$37.50

29.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.75

$3.59 R$18.30

-8.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.24

$6.41 R$32.63

7.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.30

$2.12 R$10.80

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.38 R$7.05

1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.19 R$6.03

-3.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.48 R$7.51

8.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.10 R$5.58

11.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.56

$1.18 R$6.03

9.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.59 R$3.00

25.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.33

$0.53 R$2.69

22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.18

$2.18 R$11.12

0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.52

$5.36 R$27.31

48.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.49

$0.91 R$4.63

18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.48

$1.27 R$6.46

77.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.97

$0.87 R$4.42

12.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$225

$42.41 R$216

4.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.85

$1.09 R$5.55

-12.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.04

$0.97 R$4.93

-18.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.40

$3.86 R$19.66

49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.71

$1.02 R$5.21

9.80%

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

$24.7K R$125.9K

$21.0K R$106.9K

17.77%

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

$29.3K R$149.2K

$30.2K R$154.0K

-3.09%

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

$71.2 R$363

$103 R$525

-30.89%

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

$13.29 R$67.7

$11.77 R$59.9

12.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$17.72 R$90.2

17.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$35.96 R$183

-29.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$110

$27.51 R$140

-21.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$35.97

$4.57 R$23.24

54.70%

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

$480 R$2,444

$168 R$854

186.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.7K

$6,397 R$32.6K

138.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$293

$36.07 R$184

59.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$208

$53.0 R$270

-22.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$345

$82.7 R$421

-18.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$327

$68.5 R$349

-6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,081

$221 R$1,127

84.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,304

$136 R$692

88.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,916

$389 R$1,982

148.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,819

$200 R$1,020

176.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.7K

$940 R$4,787

166.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,561

$554 R$2,820

203.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,775

$531 R$2,704

76.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.38

14.35%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Serra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $221 in Serra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 77% 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 $21.00 in Serra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $157 per month, with Serra 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 Serra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Serra differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $722 including rent). Serra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 77% 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: $409 in Brasilia versus $221 in Serra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Serra – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $722 in Serra – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Serra 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 Serra 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.