Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and South Africa Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and South Africa

Name: South Africa
Address: ZA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $846 per month in Brazil vs $1,143 in South Africa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,346 per month in Brazil vs $1,781 in South Africa, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,845 per month in Brazil vs $2,419 in South Africa, rent included.

The cost of living in Brazil is roughly 26% lower than in South Africa on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Brazil and South Africa are more affordable than the global median – Brazil 39% lower, South Africa 17% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($647–$1,815) than in Brazil ($598–$1,403), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 R$33.16

$11.30 R 182

-42.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.65 R$173

$44.51 R 717

-24.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 R$40.59

$5.90 R 95.0

34.24%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R$10.61

$2.44 R 39.22

-15.16%

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

$1.26 R$6.48

$1.16 R 18.64

8.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.96 R 15.39

-22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 R$9.86

$2.56 R 41.29

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 R$15.09

$3.08 R 49.60

-4.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.52

$1.28 R 20.57

-15.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 R$8.92

$1.13 R 18.15

53.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.69

$1.83 R 29.55

-28.96%

Eggs

$2.23 R$11.42

$2.55 R 41.12

-12.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 R$46.94

$8.35 R 134

9.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 R$22.22

$5.44 R 87.6

-20.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.46 R$43.35

$7.88 R 127

7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 R$11.37

$1.90 R 30.61

16.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.81

$1.70 R 27.36

-21.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.16

$1.81 R 29.14

-33.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.78

$1.88 R 30.23

-19.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.13

$1.54 R 24.76

-22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.49 R 24.03

-28.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 R$4.30

$1.33 R 21.45

-36.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.09

$1.19 R 19.09

-32.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.27

$3.41 R 55.0

-29.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.62 R$39.06

$5.08 R 81.7

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.98

$1.51 R 24.28

-9.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.89

$2.03 R 32.64

14.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 R$5.23

$1.76 R 28.39

-42.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.47 R$228

$63.1 R 1,016

-29.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 R$6.66

$1.12 R 17.97

16.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R$4.83

$1.01 R 16.33

-6.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.03 R$41.15

$8.07 R 130

-0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R$6.39

$1.46 R 23.53

-14.38%

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

$23.0K R$117.7K

$36.8K R 592.8K

-37.61%

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

$31.6K R$161.8K

$32.5K R 523.6K

-2.91%

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

$81.0 R$415

$136 R 2,185

-40.32%

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

$12.79 R$65.6

$35.72 R 575

-64.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.82 R$107

$41.40 R 667

-49.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$131

$34.96 R 563

-27.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 R$134

$12.46 R 201

110.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 R$35.81

$7.62 R 123

-8.27%

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

$337 R$1,725

$231 R 3,725

45.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,862 R$45.4K

$5,726 R 92.2K

54.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 R$272

$56.4 R 908

-5.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 R$250

$33.91 R 546

43.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 R$454

$102 R 1,639

-12.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 R$351

$93.0 R 1,497

-26.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 R$1,933

$506 R 8,154

-25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 R$1,250

$418 R 6,727

-41.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 R$3,713

$979 R 15.8K

-26.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 R$2,445

$838 R 13.5K

-43.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,846 R$9,462

$1,151 R 18.5K

60.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,262 R$6,469

$800 R 12.9K

57.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 R$2,686

$1,554 R 25.0K

-66.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

11.24

-0.44%

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

Last update for Brazil: September 7, 2026

Last update for South Africa: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $341 in Brazil vs $445 in South Africa. For reference, capital cities sit at $479 in Brasilia and $324 in Bloemfontein.

Average salary: $487 in Brazil vs $1,553 in South Africa. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 30% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 33% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 129% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 219% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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 South Africa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 23% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 23% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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

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.