Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Romania Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Romania

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Brazil vs $1,035 in Romania, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Brazil vs $1,583 in Romania, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Brazil vs $2,131 in Romania, rent included.

Brazil is roughly 26% cheaper than Romania on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Brazil and Romania are more affordable than the global median – Brazil 43% lower, Romania 23% lower.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Brazil spans $563$1,048, Romania spans $802$1,375. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brazil
Romania
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.51 R$27.48
$11.53 RON 50.3
-52.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.01 R$145
$45.88 RON 200
-36.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R$30.69
$8.15 RON 35.55
-24.54%
Cappuccino
$1.72 R$8.61
$2.88 RON 12.55
-40.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 R$5.60
$2.04 RON 8.88
-45.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 R$3.52
$1.87 RON 8.14
-62.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.76 R$8.77
$2.78 RON 12.14
-36.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 R$13.28
$3.49 RON 15.23
-23.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brazil
Romania
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 R$4.96
$1.54 RON 6.73
-35.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 R$7.36
$1.26 RON 5.49
16.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.07
$1.74 RON 7.58
-29.89%
Eggs
$2.10 R$10.45
$3.30 RON 14.40
-36.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.74 R$43.60
$8.79 RON 38.34
-0.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.70 R$18.48
$6.61 RON 28.82
-44.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.43 R$37.08
$10.96 RON 47.79
-32.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 R$10.73
$1.21 RON 5.30
77.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 R$6.57
$1.66 RON 7.24
-20.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 R$5.70
$1.60 RON 7.00
-28.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.45 R$7.23
$2.16 RON 9.42
-32.87%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 R$5.88
$0.96 RON 4.19
22.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 R$5.27
$0.98 RON 4.27
8.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 R$3.54
$0.98 RON 4.29
-27.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 R$3.19
$0.81 RON 3.54
-20.99%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18 R$10.90
$6.14 RON 26.78
-64.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.05 R$40.17
$7.10 RON 30.94
13.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 R$5.90
$1.16 RON 5.04
1.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 R$11.20
$1.81 RON 7.87
24.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Brazil
Romania
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 R$4.30
$0.84 RON 3.67
2.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.78 R$208
$22.62 RON 98.6
84.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.10 R$5.50
$0.89 RON 3.86
23.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 R$4.18
$0.70 RON 3.07
20.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.40 R$36.95
$7.95 RON 34.65
-6.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 R$5.39
$1.59 RON 6.94
-32.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K R$107.9K
$28.3K RON 123.5K
-23.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K R$135.8K
$27.6K RON 120.2K
-1.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brazil
Romania
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.1 R$340
$165 RON 717
-58.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.12 R$70.5
$8.34 RON 36.37
69.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.25 R$96.0
$10.05 RON 43.80
91.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brazil
Romania
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.11 R$115
$45.04 RON 196
-48.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.58 R$113
$21.01 RON 91.6
7.47%
Cinema Ticket
$6.26 R$31.22
$8.22 RON 35.82
-23.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brazil
Romania
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$282 R$1,409
$497 RON 2,169
-43.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,250 R$36.2K
$9,905 RON 43.2K
-26.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brazil
Romania
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.23 R$246
$70.1 RON 305
-29.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.14 R$210
$40.52 RON 177
4.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.1 R$375
$82.7 RON 360
-9.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.0 R$309
$91.9 RON 401
-32.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brazil
Romania
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$326 R$1,628
$496 RON 2,161
-34.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$226 R$1,130
$365 RON 1,591
-37.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$654 R$3,265
$844 RON 3,681
-22.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$450 R$2,245
$612 RON 2,669
-26.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,947 R$9,716
$2,641 RON 11.5K
-26.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,317 R$6,572
$1,965 RON 8,566
-32.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brazil
Romania
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$541 R$2,700
$1,099 RON 4,791
-50.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.16
6.84
63.16%

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

Last update for Brazil: April 28, 2026

Last update for Romania: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $305 in Brazil vs $391 in Romania. For reference, capital cities sit at $402 in Brasilia and $643 in Bucharest.

Average salary: $498 in Brazil vs $924 in Romania. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 28% higher in Romania.

Dining out costs 63% more in Romania.

Public transport is 86% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 86% higher in Romania, giving Romania stronger purchasing power.

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 Romania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Romania compare in cost of living?
Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 35% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Romania?
Housing costs more in Romania, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Romania consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Romania?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 35% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $2,000 go in Brazil vs Romania?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brazil, but in Romania it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and Romania?
Brazil 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.

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