Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Ubatuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Ubatuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $974 in Brasilia versus $838 in Ubatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,325 in Ubatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,812 in Ubatuba.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 16% more expensive than in Ubatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Ubatuba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.66

$7.16 R$36.68

21.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$195

$28.71 R$147

32.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.61

$4.85 R$24.83

67.42%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.15

$1.49 R$7.64

72.48%

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

$1.44 R$7.36

$1.30 R$6.66

10.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.87 R$4.46

11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.82

$2.29 R$11.75

0.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.37

$3.65 R$18.70

3.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.50

$1.06 R$5.43

0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.72

$1.78 R$9.13

17.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.76

$1.34 R$6.86

-1.49%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.61 R$13.36

-6.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.0

$2.98 R$15.25

292.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.84

$3.95 R$20.23

3.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.43

$7.82 R$40.06

8.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.28

$1.60 R$8.22

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.31

$1.14 R$5.84

25.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.72

$1.14 R$5.82

14.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.26

$1.50 R$7.70

7.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.21

$1.14 R$5.85

6.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.14 R$5.84

-7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.09

$0.91 R$4.65

-12.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.11

$0.57 R$2.90

75.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.27

$2.45 R$12.54

-2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.54

$7.89 R$40.45

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.60

$1.46 R$7.51

-11.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$11.99

$2.41 R$12.33

-2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.35

$1.00 R$5.10

4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.26

$1.19 R$6.10

-13.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.76 R$3.90

21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.54

$8.14 R$41.69

-21.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.22 R$6.26

5.74%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.1K R$118.5K

0.89%

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

$32.6K R$166.9K

$31.7K R$162.7K

2.64%

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

$95.0 R$487

$64.0 R$328

48.38%

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

$12.28 R$62.9

$9.20 R$47.16

33.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$19.68 R$101

13.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$11.47 R$58.8

173.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$138

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.22

$7.80 R$39.95

0.64%

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

$811 R$4,154

$426 R$2,183

90.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.7K

$9,797 R$50.2K

68.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$265

$64.1 R$328

-19.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$224

$55.4 R$284

-21.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$426

$93.6 R$480

-11.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$439

$83.6 R$428

2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,461

$397 R$2,033

21.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,340

$295 R$1,512

-11.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,688

$780 R$3,997

42.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,850

$573 R$2,935

-2.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,726 R$8,847

44.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,747

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,147

$376 R$1,927

115.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

10.81

12.12%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubatuba: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $397 in Ubatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 115% 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 $29.00 in Ubatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $167 per month, with Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Ubatuba differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $838 including rent). Ubatuba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 115% 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 $397 in Ubatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $811 in Brasilia versus $426 in Ubatuba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubatuba – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $838 in Ubatuba versus $974 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ubatuba but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.