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: $957 in Brasilia versus $643 in Teresopolis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Brasilia versus $1,081 in Teresopolis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Brasilia versus $1,519 in Teresopolis.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 49% more expensive than in Teresopolis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Teresopolis 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.61 R$43.93

$3.29 R$16.80

161.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$26.97 R$138

44.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 R$40.79

$6.83 R$34.82

17.13%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.98

$1.66 R$8.45

53.61%

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

$1.45 R$7.40

$1.37 R$6.99

5.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.61 R$3.09

57.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 R$11.52

$1.18 R$6.00

91.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 R$19.85

$4.75 R$24.24

-18.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$0.99 R$5.07

8.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 R$10.40

$1.46 R$7.44

39.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.42

$1.32 R$6.75

-4.55%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.45

$1.96 R$9.98

24.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.5

$8.50 R$43.34

41.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 R$20.72

$3.40 R$17.35

19.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.24 R$42.05

$8.25 R$42.05

-0.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 R$11.96

$1.86 R$9.50

25.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.24

$1.12 R$5.70

26.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$0.89 R$4.52

42.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.44

$1.19 R$6.07

38.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.90

$0.62 R$3.17

87.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$0.81 R$4.15

24.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.23

$0.51 R$2.59

62.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$0.76 R$3.87

28.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.16

$1.53 R$7.79

56.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 R$40.75

$5.95 R$30.34

34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.64

$1.43 R$7.30

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.22

$1.31 R$6.70

83.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.67

$0.84 R$4.31

9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

$34.32 R$175

2.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.93 R$4.74

12.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.94 R$4.81

-9.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.43

$2.32 R$11.84

157.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.53

$1.22 R$6.24

4.92%

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

$22.6K R$115.4K

$20.4K R$104.1K

10.77%

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

$32.1K R$163.7K

$30.7K R$156.5K

4.58%

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

$91.1 R$464

$28.71 R$146

217.14%

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

$12.43 R$63.4

$23.96 R$122

-48.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.55 R$115

$18.14 R$92.5

24.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 R$161

$28.44 R$145

10.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

$19.31 R$98.5

36.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.06

$6.36 R$32.46

23.58%

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

$813 R$4,147

$141 R$719

476.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K R$83.2K

$2,519 R$12.8K

547.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 R$266

$25.12 R$128

107.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.67 R$223

$26.14 R$133

67.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 R$422

$66.3 R$338

24.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 R$441

$46.84 R$239

84.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,551

$353 R$1,800

41.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,357

$156 R$795

70.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 R$5,778

$522 R$2,661

117.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$562 R$2,865

$380 R$1,940

47.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.3K

$1,174 R$5,990

105.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,695

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,467

$484 R$2,471

80.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

10.67

10.59%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Teresopolis: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $500 in Brasilia and $353 in Teresopolis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 81% 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 Teresopolis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $167 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 49% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $643 including rent). Teresopolis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 81% 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 $353 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 $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 $957 per month in Brasilia versus $643 in Teresopolis – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $643 in Teresopolis versus $957 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Teresopolis but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Teresopolis 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 Teresopolis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.