Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Timbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Timbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Brasilia versus $697 in Timbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,108 in Timbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,518 in Timbo.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 24% more expensive than in Timbo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Timbo 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.67

$4.63 R$23.50

60.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$198

$31.99 R$162

21.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.14

$3.70 R$18.78

65.95%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.75

$1.79 R$9.06

7.26%

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

$1.18 R$5.97

$0.98 R$4.97

20.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.61 R$3.08

36.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.04

$1.73 R$8.77

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$16.91

$2.12 R$10.75

57.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.83

$0.80 R$4.06

18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.27

$1.38 R$7.00

18.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$0.79 R$4.03

84.81%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.56

$1.68 R$8.51

23.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$47.71

$7.04 R$35.72

33.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.20

$3.17 R$16.10

6.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.05

$6.89 R$34.97

-2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.77

$1.65 R$8.39

16.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.93

$0.60 R$3.04

126.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$0.70 R$3.57

65.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.49

$1.21 R$6.13

38.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$0.92 R$4.65

34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$0.88 R$4.45

48.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.73

$0.56 R$2.84

30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.72 R$3.64

-6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.03

$1.45 R$7.37

49.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.91

$4.94 R$25.05

63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.60

$0.96 R$4.88

14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.59

$1.84 R$9.35

23.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$0.93 R$4.71

4.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$220

$38.50 R$195

12.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.82

$1.15 R$5.82

-17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.66 R$3.33

19.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.59

$6.18 R$31.34

-5.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$0.93 R$4.70

22.58%

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

$25.2K R$127.9K

$18.8K R$95.6K

33.77%

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

$29.2K R$148.0K

$23.9K R$121.3K

21.95%

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

$71.8 R$364

$52.0 R$264

37.92%

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

$13.11 R$66.5

$11.42 R$58.0

14.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$104

$20.58 R$104

-0.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$127

$22.93 R$116

8.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$109

$21.47 R$109

0.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.27

$5.25 R$26.63

39.81%

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

$485 R$2,462

$218 R$1,108

122.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.1K

$2,569 R$13.0K

491.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$295

$29.27 R$149

98.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$213

$35.61 R$181

18.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$344

$54.2 R$275

25.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$326

$44.42 R$225

44.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,031

$320 R$1,623

25.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,330

$217 R$1,100

20.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,788

$583 R$2,956

61.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,825

$428 R$2,170

30.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.5K

$1,627 R$8,254

51.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,762

$1,189 R$6,033

45.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,665

$672 R$3,411

36.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

7.91%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Timbo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $320 in Timbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 37% 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 $32.00 in Timbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $144 per month, with Timbo 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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Timbo differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $697 including rent). Timbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 37% 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: $400 in Brasilia versus $320 in Timbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Timbo – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $697 in Timbo – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Timbo 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 Timbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.