Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Vila Velha Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Vila Velha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Brasilia versus $834 in Vila Velha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $1,326 in Vila Velha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,819 in Vila Velha.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 4% more expensive than in Vila Velha, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Vila Velha 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.67

$6.32 R$32.06

17.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$198

$29.31 R$149

32.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.14

$7.40 R$37.56

-17.03%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.75

$1.73 R$8.79

10.98%

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

$1.18 R$5.97

$1.16 R$5.86

1.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.59 R$2.99

40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.04

$1.55 R$7.87

14.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$16.91

$2.75 R$13.98

21.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.83

$0.84 R$4.28

13.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.27

$1.49 R$7.58

9.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$1.05 R$5.32

39.05%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.56

$1.60 R$8.11

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$47.71

$7.64 R$38.79

23.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.20

$3.64 R$18.47

-6.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.05

$6.15 R$31.20

9.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.05 R$10.40

-5.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.93

$1.27 R$6.42

7.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$1.23 R$6.23

-5.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.49

$1.29 R$6.53

29.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.15 R$5.84

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.28 R$6.51

2.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.73

$0.44 R$2.23

65.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.53 R$2.68

26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.03

$2.90 R$14.72

-25.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.91

$8.85 R$44.89

-8.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.60

$0.87 R$4.44

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.59

$2.22 R$11.26

2.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$0.88 R$4.44

10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$220

$54.4 R$276

-20.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.82

$1.05 R$5.35

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.70 R$3.55

12.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.59

$3.74 R$18.98

55.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.12 R$5.70

1.79%

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

$25.2K R$127.9K

$25.4K R$129.1K

-0.91%

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

$29.2K R$148.0K

$32.7K R$165.8K

-10.73%

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

$71.8 R$364

$123 R$627

-41.89%

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

$13.11 R$66.5

$17.59 R$89.3

-25.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$104

$16.72 R$84.9

22.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$127

$26.02 R$132

-4.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$109

$21.56 R$109

-0.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.27

$5.56 R$28.19

32.01%

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

$485 R$2,462

$414 R$2,101

17.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.1K

$6,407 R$32.5K

137.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$295

$36.21 R$184

60.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$213

$39.11 R$198

7.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$344

$54.9 R$279

23.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$326

$63.8 R$323

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,031

$294 R$1,490

36.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,330

$214 R$1,087

22.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,788

$536 R$2,719

76.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,825

$489 R$2,482

13.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.5K

$2,058 R$10.4K

19.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,762

$2,017 R$10.2K

-14.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,665

$407 R$2,067

125.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.38

14.35%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Vila Velha: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $294 in Vila Velha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 126% 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 $29.00 in Vila Velha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $163 per month, with Vila Velha 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 Vila Velha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Vila Velha differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $834 including rent). Vila Velha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 126% 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 $294 in Vila Velha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Vila Velha – a meal for two runs $29.00 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 $834 in Vila Velha – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Vila Velha 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 Vila Velha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.