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

Name: South Korea
Address: KR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $835 per month in Brazil vs $1,312 in South Korea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,328 per month in Brazil vs $2,061 in South Korea, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,821 per month in Brazil vs $2,809 in South Korea, rent included.

The cost of living in Brazil is roughly 36% lower than in South Korea on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Brazil and South Korea are more affordable than the global median – Brazil 39% lower, South Korea 4% lower.

Cost ranges are similar: Brazil spans $593–$1,399, South Korea $959–$1,692. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 R$31.97

$7.02 ₩9,761

-12.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.61 R$169

$41.82 ₩58.1K

-22.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.90 R$41.03

$6.24 ₩8,678

26.60%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$10.24

$3.77 ₩5,245

-47.75%

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

$1.24 R$6.42

$1.55 ₩2,160

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$3.93

$0.73 ₩1,018

4.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 R$10.06

$3.44 ₩4,779

-43.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R$14.78

$4.16 ₩5,779

-31.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.53

$2.09 ₩2,906

-48.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.87

$2.87 ₩3,994

-40.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.64

$3.30 ₩4,590

-61.21%

Eggs

$2.26 R$11.75

$2.84 ₩3,949

-20.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.12 R$47.35

$13.14 ₩18.3K

-30.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 R$22.02

$8.52 ₩11.8K

-50.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 R$41.25

$24.11 ₩33.5K

-67.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 R$11.71

$8.07 ₩11.2K

-72.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.86

$3.22 ₩4,479

-59.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.31

$6.04 ₩8,401

-79.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.99

$5.76 ₩8,004

-73.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.18

$3.68 ₩5,119

-67.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.45

$2.68 ₩3,720

-60.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.97

$2.47 ₩3,431

-69.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 R$4.09

$1.13 ₩1,572

-30.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 R$12.83

$3.24 ₩4,504

-23.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.50 R$38.97

$15.29 ₩21.2K

-50.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 R$6.66

$2.05 ₩2,843

-37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 R$12.51

$2.74 ₩3,810

-12.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.87

$1.07 ₩1,489

-12.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.77 R$238

$43.39 ₩60.3K

5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.66

$3.32 ₩4,619

-61.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.78

$0.65 ₩903

41.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.81 R$40.56

$8.22 ₩11.4K

-4.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.27

$1.29 ₩1,798

-6.20%

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

$22.8K R$118.5K

$27.9K ₩38.7M

-18.09%

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

$30.8K R$160.2K

$28.5K ₩39.6M

8.35%

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

$80.6 R$419

$197 ₩273.4K

-59.02%

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

$12.72 R$66.1

$36.44 ₩50.7K

-65.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.95 R$104

$22.25 ₩30.9K

-10.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.02 R$130

$53.2 ₩74.0K

-53.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.72 R$134

$15.49 ₩21.5K

66.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 R$36.89

$10.46 ₩14.5K

-32.12%

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

$325 R$1,690

$833 ₩1.2M

-60.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,586 R$44.6K

$21.7K ₩30.2M

-60.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R$264

$52.4 ₩72.8K

-2.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.51 R$247

$41.39 ₩57.5K

14.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 R$438

$71.7 ₩99.6K

17.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 R$356

$92.7 ₩128.8K

-26.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 R$1,987

$552 ₩766.8K

-30.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 R$1,263

$385 ₩535.8K

-36.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 R$3,618

$1,389 ₩1.9M

-49.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 R$2,429

$854 ₩1.2M

-45.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,814 R$9,420

$14.9K ₩20.8M

-87.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,258 R$6,531

$7,990 ₩11.1M

-84.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$511 R$2,654

$2,224 ₩3.1M

-77.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

4.21

165.08%

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

Last update for Brazil: August 18, 2026

Last update for South Korea: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $339 in Brazil vs $400 in South Korea. For reference, capital cities sit at $481 in Brasilia and $825 in Seoul.

Average salary: $479 in Brazil vs $2,010 in South Korea. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 18% higher in South Korea.

Dining out costs 30% more in South Korea.

Public transport is 264% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 320% higher in South Korea, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Korea.

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 Korea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 33% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 33% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brazil, but in South Korea 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.