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: $860 in Brasilia versus $619 in Teresina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Brasilia versus $1,034 in Teresina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Brasilia versus $1,449 in Teresina.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 39% more expensive than Teresina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Teresina 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.53

$5.31 R$26.86

32.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 R$197

$26.74 R$135

45.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 R$32.41

$6.17 R$31.24

3.73%

Cappuccino

$1.94 R$9.80

$1.80 R$9.13

7.78%

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

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.12 R$5.65

2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.36

$0.62 R$3.13

38.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.01

$1.76 R$8.90

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.14

$2.65 R$13.42

20.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.00

$1.19 R$6.02

-16.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 R$8.39

$2.16 R$10.91

-23.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.52

$1.19 R$6.02

25.21%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.19

$3.51 R$17.79

-42.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 R$45.53

$8.45 R$42.76

6.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$16.68

$3.56 R$18.01

-7.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$33.61

$7.19 R$36.42

-7.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.23

$1.58 R$8.01

27.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.09

$1.26 R$6.40

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.09

$1.15 R$5.81

4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.19

$1.44 R$7.30

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.14 R$5.75

13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.05 R$5.32

24.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.09

$0.73 R$3.70

10.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.16

$0.61 R$3.11

1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.11 R$10.70

2.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 R$43.91

$9.36 R$47.39

-7.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.26 R$6.40

-15.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.41

$1.98 R$10.01

13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.71 R$3.58

42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.27 R$224

$38.15 R$193

16.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.08

$1.10 R$5.57

-9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.96 R$4.84

-15.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 R$28.91

$6.33 R$32.04

-9.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.06 R$5.34

7.55%

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

$24.8K R$125.7K

$20.4K R$103.1K

21.87%

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

$28.6K R$144.7K

$28.1K R$142.1K

1.82%

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

$69.8 R$353

$60.4 R$306

15.62%

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

$13.07 R$66.2

$13.59 R$68.8

-3.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 R$104

$16.15 R$81.8

27.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$126

$18.53 R$93.8

34.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 R$111

$21.92 R$111

0.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 R$36.86

$8.34 R$42.21

-12.71%

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

$491 R$2,485

$274 R$1,386

79.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.5K

$6,522 R$33.0K

137.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 R$299

$26.89 R$136

119.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 R$208

$20.52 R$104

100.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 R$344

$53.5 R$271

26.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 R$323

$42.50 R$215

50.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R$2,093

$135 R$685

205.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,311

$101 R$509

157.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 R$4,831

$329 R$1,666

190.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,794

$248 R$1,253

122.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 R$12.6K

$1,345 R$6,810

84.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 R$8,520

$764 R$3,867

120.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$929 R$4,705

$411 R$2,080

126.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.92

8.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 8, 2026

Last update for Teresina: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Brasilia and $135 in Teresina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 126% 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 $27.00 in Teresina. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $189, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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 39% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $619 including rent). Teresina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 126% more on average, 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: $414 in Brasilia versus $135 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 $27.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $860 per month in Brasilia versus $619 in Teresina – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Teresina 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 Teresina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.