Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Teresopolis Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Teresopolis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Brasilia versus $686 in Teresopolis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,428 in Brasilia versus $1,100 in Teresopolis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,993 in Brasilia versus $1,515 in Teresopolis.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Teresopolis 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.53

$3.63 R$18.38

93.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.86 R$197

$25.68 R$130

51.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 R$32.01

$6.24 R$31.58

1.28%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.91

$1.60 R$8.09

22.50%

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

$1.18 R$5.96

$1.33 R$6.73

-11.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.73 R$3.70

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.39

$1.77 R$8.95

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.08

$2.63 R$13.30

20.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.04

$1.16 R$5.85

-14.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.09

$1.76 R$8.92

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.15

$1.43 R$7.25

-1.40%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.31

$2.02 R$10.25

0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$47.87

$7.92 R$40.10

19.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.21

$3.68 R$18.62

-7.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.63

$7.71 R$39.06

-8.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.93

$2.21 R$11.17

-11.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.11

$1.23 R$6.21

13.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.09

$1.47 R$7.45

-18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.39

$1.50 R$7.61

10.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.28

$1.25 R$6.33

-0.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.15 R$5.81

13.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.63 R$3.19

28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.19

$0.62 R$3.13

1.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.78

$1.95 R$9.86

9.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 R$45.69

$5.85 R$29.60

54.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.59

$1.25 R$6.34

-12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.09

$2.12 R$10.73

12.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.21

$0.85 R$4.31

21.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.41 R$225

$23.89 R$121

85.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.77

$0.87 R$4.42

8.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.67 R$3.39

20.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.57 R$28.21

$2.11 R$10.67

163.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.07 R$5.42

4.67%

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

$25.0K R$126.6K

$20.9K R$105.8K

19.74%

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

$29.1K R$147.4K

$27.2K R$137.9K

6.90%

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

$72.2 R$366

$27.30 R$138

164.58%

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

$13.08 R$66.2

$12.23 R$61.9

6.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$103

$16.96 R$85.9

20.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$126

$24.31 R$123

2.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$108

$17.94 R$90.9

18.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 R$35.84

$5.54 R$28.07

27.80%

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

$488 R$2,473

$265 R$1,342

84.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$75.9K

$11.7K R$59.4K

27.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 R$295

$21.55 R$109

170.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$213

$26.50 R$134

58.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 R$353

$76.0 R$385

-8.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 R$330

$61.9 R$314

5.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,064

$321 R$1,627

26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 R$1,318

$216 R$1,092

20.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 R$4,803

$346 R$1,754

173.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,845

$422 R$2,138

33.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,540 R$12.9K

$1,214 R$6,148

109.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,714 R$8,678

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,285

$494 R$2,499

71.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.33

4.77%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Teresopolis: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Brasilia and $321 in Teresopolis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 71% 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 $26.00 in Teresopolis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $178 per month, with Teresopolis 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 Teresopolis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Teresopolis differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $686 including rent). Teresopolis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 71% 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: $408 in Brasilia versus $321 in Teresopolis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Teresopolis – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $862 per month in Brasilia versus $686 in Teresopolis – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Teresopolis 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 Teresopolis 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.