Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Tacloban Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Tacloban

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $969 in Brasilia versus $769 in Tacloban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Brasilia versus $1,146 in Tacloban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,132 in Brasilia versus $1,522 in Tacloban.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 26% more expensive than in Tacloban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Tacloban 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 R$45.75

$2.97 ₱186

200.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 R$199

$15.94 ₱999

143.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 R$43.54

$2.46 ₱154

245.12%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.24

$2.34 ₱147

10.26%

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

$1.41 R$7.22

$0.66 ₱41.12

113.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.35 ₱21.93

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$12.07

$1.63 ₱102

44.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 R$19.83

$2.22 ₱139

74.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.53

$1.98 ₱124

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.43

$1.17 ₱73.5

73.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$0.82 ₱51.7

56.10%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$1.98 ₱124

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 R$60.6

$9.87 ₱619

19.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R$21.09

$4.41 ₱277

-6.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.47

$7.10 ₱445

19.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 R$12.39

$3.35 ₱210

-27.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.09 ₱68.6

33.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.55

$2.31 ₱145

-44.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.45

$1.48 ₱93.1

11.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$2.37 ₱148

-51.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.93 ₱121

-44.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.03

$1.19 ₱74.4

-33.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.85

$0.67 ₱41.91

41.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.29

$1.94 ₱122

23.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 R$42.17

$6.38 ₱400

29.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.09 ₱68.4

11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.02

$1.75 ₱110

33.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.25 ₱15.55

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$180

$11.07 ₱694

216.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.76 ₱47.55

40.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.23 ₱14.47

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$30.99

$1.91 ₱120

216.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.04 ₱65.0

25.96%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$21.2K ₱1.3M

10.03%

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

$31.9K R$163.6K

$19.2K ₱1.2M

66.63%

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

$96.4 R$494

$120 ₱7,494

-19.33%

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

$12.61 R$64.6

$15.19 ₱952

-16.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$112

$28.27 ₱1,773

-22.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$159

$32.60 ₱2,044

-4.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$138

$4.71 ₱295

473.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.38

$5.52 ₱346

39.13%

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

$822 R$4,214

$134 ₱8,371

515.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$84.3K

$8,203 ₱514.3K

100.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$265

$32.10 ₱2,013

61.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.32 R$222

$19.66 ₱1,232

120.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 R$427

$75.7 ₱4,747

9.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R$443

$55.2 ₱3,459

56.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,453

$271 ₱17.0K

76.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,322

$194 ₱12.1K

33.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 R$5,719

$506 ₱31.7K

120.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,855

$352 ₱22.0K

58.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

$2,646 ₱165.9K

-7.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,962

$1,030 ₱64.6K

69.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,327

$349 ₱21.9K

142.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

7.2

68.33%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Tacloban: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Brasilia and $271 in Tacloban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 142% 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 $16.00 in Tacloban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $201 per month, with Tacloban 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 Tacloban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Tacloban differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $769 including rent). Tacloban is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 142% 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: $479 in Brasilia versus $271 in Tacloban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacloban – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Brasilia versus $769 in Tacloban – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $769 in Tacloban versus $969 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tacloban but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Tacloban 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 Tacloban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.