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: $957 in Brasilia versus $847 in Serra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,267 in Serra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,687 in Serra.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 13% more expensive than in Serra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Serra 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$44.15

$4.69 R$24.05

83.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$22.21 R$114

75.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.99

$7.74 R$39.66

3.36%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$13.05

$1.88 R$9.66

35.64%

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

$1.45 R$7.44

$1.28 R$6.57

13.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.55 R$2.82

74.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.57

$1.92 R$9.86

17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.94

$2.86 R$14.68

36.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.13 R$5.81

-5.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.45

$1.79 R$9.19

13.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.45

$1.09 R$5.60

15.60%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.03 R$10.42

20.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$10.00 R$51.3

20.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.82

$4.29 R$22.00

-5.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.25

$8.09 R$41.46

1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$12.01

$2.78 R$14.27

-15.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.28

$1.48 R$7.57

-4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.52

$1.73 R$8.84

-26.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.48

$1.49 R$7.66

10.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.14 R$5.86

1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.07 R$5.49

-5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.26

$1.21 R$6.23

-31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$5.00

$1.28 R$6.54

-23.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.22

$2.44 R$12.52

-2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.95

$5.52 R$28.30

44.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.67

$0.91 R$4.68

42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.28

$3.21 R$16.44

-25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.89 R$4.56

3.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

$46.58 R$239

-24.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$1.27 R$6.50

-17.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.38

$1.09 R$5.59

-22.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.58

$6.93 R$35.52

-13.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.10 R$5.62

16.36%

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

$22.6K R$115.9K

$22.8K R$116.9K

-0.84%

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

$32.1K R$164.5K

$32.5K R$166.8K

-1.36%

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

$91.1 R$467

$152 R$781

-40.28%

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

$12.43 R$63.7

$12.22 R$62.6

1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$116

$20.46 R$105

10.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$25.57 R$131

23.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

$26.17 R$134

0.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.26

$7.10 R$36.40

10.70%

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

$813 R$4,168

$175 R$896

365.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.6K

$7,433 R$38.1K

119.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$268

$52.6 R$269

-0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$224

$48.11 R$247

-9.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$424

$90.2 R$462

-8.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$443

$71.2 R$365

21.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,564

$241 R$1,236

107.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,364

$145 R$742

83.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,806

$431 R$2,207

163.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,879

$211 R$1,083

165.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

$941 R$4,822

156.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,738

$531 R$2,722

221.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,489

$544 R$2,787

61.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

11.12

6.12%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Serra: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $241 in Serra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 61% 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 $22.00 in Serra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $202 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 13% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $847 including rent). Serra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 61% 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 $241 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 $22.00 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 $847 in Serra – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $847 in Serra versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Serra but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Serra 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 Serra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.