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: $974 in Brasilia versus $740 in Timbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,224 in Timbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,707 in Timbo.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 32% more expensive than in Timbo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Timbo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$4.97 R$25.55

75.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$38.64 R$199

-1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$3.86 R$19.86

110.36%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$2.01 R$10.32

27.86%

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$1.10 R$5.64

30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.71 R$3.66

36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$1.83 R$9.39

26.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$2.27 R$11.69

66.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$0.86 R$4.43

24.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.44 R$7.40

45.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$0.92 R$4.73

43.48%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$1.75 R$8.97

39.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$7.71 R$39.65

51.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$3.45 R$17.73

17.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$7.27 R$37.41

16.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$1.61 R$8.28

49.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$0.66 R$3.41

116.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$0.81 R$4.19

61.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.20 R$6.15

34.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$0.86 R$4.42

40.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$0.75 R$3.85

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.66 R$3.38

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.88 R$4.50

13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$1.54 R$7.92

55.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$4.90 R$25.19

65.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$1.09 R$5.59

18.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$1.93 R$9.93

21.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$1.00 R$5.16

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$43.05 R$221

-18.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.25 R$6.41

-17.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.75 R$3.86

22.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$5.81 R$29.88

9.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.00 R$5.15

29.00%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$22.3K R$114.7K

4.58%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$26.3K R$135.2K

23.86%

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

$95.0 R$488

$56.5 R$291

68.08%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$12.75 R$65.6

-3.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$22.64 R$116

-1.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$25.20 R$130

24.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$26.58 R$137

1.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$5.92 R$30.43

32.60%

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

$811 R$4,169

$235 R$1,207

245.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$2,821 R$14.5K

485.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$31.04 R$160

66.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$39.27 R$202

11.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$58.9 R$303

41.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$48.56 R$250

76.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$343 R$1,765

39.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$230 R$1,185

13.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$640 R$3,292

73.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$448 R$2,305

24.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,642 R$8,441

52.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

$1,121 R$5,765

52.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

$693 R$3,564

16.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

10.18%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Timbo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $343 in Timbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 17% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $39.00 in Timbo. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $153, with Timbo 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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Timbo differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $740 including rent). Timbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $343 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 $39.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $740 in Timbo – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $740 in Timbo versus $974 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timbo but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Timbo 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 Timbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.