Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Teresina Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Teresina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Brasilia versus $736 in Teresina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,220 in Teresina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,171 in Brasilia versus $1,704 in Teresina.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 30% more expensive than in Teresina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Teresina 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.57 R$44.51

$5.91 R$30.70

45.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.61 R$226

$19.36 R$101

125.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 R$40.53

$5.89 R$30.58

32.60%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.37

$2.06 R$10.70

25.24%

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

$1.41 R$7.34

$1.09 R$5.67

29.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.97

$0.79 R$4.12

21.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 R$12.05

$1.53 R$7.93

51.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 R$20.30

$3.07 R$15.94

27.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.55

$1.39 R$7.21

-23.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 R$10.10

$2.21 R$11.46

-11.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.69

$1.42 R$7.36

-9.15%

Eggs

$2.51 R$13.03

$4.26 R$22.14

-41.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 R$62.1

$7.29 R$37.87

64.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 R$21.06

$4.05 R$21.02

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.33 R$43.27

$6.65 R$34.51

25.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$12.05

$1.82 R$9.47

27.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.68

$0.89 R$4.62

66.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.68

$0.94 R$4.89

37.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.55

$1.31 R$6.80

25.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.39

$1.11 R$5.76

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.93

$0.94 R$4.86

21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 R$4.04

$0.54 R$2.78

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.45

$1.46 R$7.57

-41.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 R$12.78

$3.20 R$16.63

-23.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$41.33

$9.04 R$46.96

-11.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.84

$1.35 R$7.01

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 R$12.65

$2.78 R$14.43

-12.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.86

$0.92 R$4.76

2.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.39 R$184

$44.02 R$229

-19.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.52

$1.56 R$8.11

-32.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.37

$0.81 R$4.19

3.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.27 R$32.58

$7.55 R$39.18

-16.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R$6.37

$1.16 R$6.03

6.03%

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

$22.9K R$118.9K

$23.0K R$119.4K

-0.42%

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

$30.9K R$160.4K

$31.9K R$165.4K

-2.99%

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

$88.4 R$459

$71.6 R$372

23.51%

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

$12.61 R$65.5

$9.92 R$51.5

27.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.02 R$114

$17.34 R$90.0

26.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.30 R$163

$20.97 R$109

49.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.14 R$141

$12.61 R$65.5

115.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 R$40.02

$7.67 R$39.82

0.52%

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

$782 R$4,061

$552 R$2,868

41.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K R$84.4K

$6,977 R$36.2K

132.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$268

$40.95 R$213

26.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.15 R$219

$28.46 R$148

48.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 R$422

$74.1 R$385

9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 R$444

$48.87 R$254

74.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 R$2,498

$156 R$812

207.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,362

$145 R$753

80.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 R$5,934

$390 R$2,028

192.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,930

$424 R$2,200

33.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,453 R$12.7K

$1,306 R$6,783

87.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,670 R$8,673

$727 R$3,777

129.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$837 R$4,348

$380 R$1,972

120.43%

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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Teresina: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Brasilia and $156 in Teresina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 120% 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: $44.00 in Brasilia vs $19.00 in Teresina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $201 per month, with Teresina 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 Teresina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Teresina differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $736 including rent). Teresina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 120% 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: $481 in Brasilia versus $156 in Teresina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Teresina – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $44.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $960 per month in Brasilia versus $736 in Teresina – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $736 in Teresina versus $960 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Teresina but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Teresina 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 Teresina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.