Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $846 per month in Brazil vs $720 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,346 per month in Brazil vs $1,148 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,845 per month in Brazil vs $1,576 in China, rent included.

The cost of living in Brazil is about 18% higher than in China on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Brazil and China are more affordable than the global median – Brazil 39% lower, China 48% lower.

Cost ranges are similar: Brazil spans $598–$1,403, China $468–$1,236. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 R$33.16

$2.93 ¥19.60

120.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.65 R$173

$22.72 ¥152

48.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 R$40.59

$5.07 ¥33.95

56.21%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R$10.61

$2.94 ¥19.70

-29.59%

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

$1.26 R$6.48

$0.48 ¥3.21

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.30 ¥2.02

146.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 R$9.86

$1.06 ¥7.10

81.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 R$15.09

$2.25 ¥15.07

30.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.52

$1.79 ¥11.99

-39.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 R$8.92

$1.70 ¥11.35

2.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.69

$0.96 ¥6.45

35.42%

Eggs

$2.23 R$11.42

$1.61 ¥10.79

38.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 R$46.94

$13.60 ¥91.1

-32.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 R$22.22

$3.41 ¥22.84

26.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 R$43.35

$11.07 ¥74.2

-23.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 R$11.37

$1.81 ¥12.09

22.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.81

$1.30 ¥8.74

2.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.16

$1.48 ¥9.91

-18.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.78

$1.30 ¥8.72

16.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.13

$0.72 ¥4.82

65.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.94 ¥6.31

13.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 R$4.30

$0.61 ¥4.08

37.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.09

$0.56 ¥3.73

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.27

$3.67 ¥24.58

-34.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 R$39.06

$11.90 ¥79.7

-35.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.98

$0.83 ¥5.56

63.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.89

$1.65 ¥11.08

40.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 R$5.23

$0.29 ¥1.92

251.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.47 R$228

$22.61 ¥151

96.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 R$6.66

$1.45 ¥9.72

-10.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R$4.83

$0.34 ¥2.31

176.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 R$41.15

$7.27 ¥48.72

10.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R$6.39

$1.23 ¥8.26

1.63%

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

$23.0K R$117.7K

$19.5K ¥130.9K

17.55%

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

$31.6K R$161.8K

$17.2K ¥115.5K

83.03%

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

$81.0 R$415

$55.5 ¥371

46.02%

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

$12.79 R$65.6

$8.51 ¥57.0

50.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.82 R$107

$10.81 ¥72.4

92.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$131

$40.02 ¥268

-36.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 R$134

$14.80 ¥99.1

76.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 R$35.81

$6.73 ¥45.09

3.86%

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

$337 R$1,725

$454 ¥3,042

-25.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,862 R$45.4K

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-54.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 R$272

$44.95 ¥301

18.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 R$250

$35.81 ¥240

36.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 R$454

$76.8 ¥514

15.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 R$351

$77.3 ¥518

-11.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 R$1,933

$385 ¥2,581

-2.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 R$1,250

$242 ¥1,623

0.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 R$3,713

$837 ¥5,603

-13.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 R$2,445

$474 ¥3,177

0.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,846 R$9,462

$4,619 ¥30.9K

-60.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,262 R$6,469

$2,316 ¥15.5K

-45.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 R$2,686

$1,062 ¥7,110

-50.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

3.47

222.48%

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

Last update for Brazil: September 7, 2026

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $341 in Brazil vs $295 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $479 in Brasilia and $957 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $487 in Brazil vs $865 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 43% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 129% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 78% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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

Brazil vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

China is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 17% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Brazil, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Brazil consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in China, contributing to the overall 17% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in China, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

China is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.