Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Sri Lanka Cost of Living Comparison Between Brazil and Sri Lanka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Brazil vs $487 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Brazil vs $780 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Brazil vs $1,073 in Sri Lanka, rent included.

Brazil costs about 57% more than Sri Lanka on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Brazil and Sri Lanka are more affordable than the global median – Brazil 43% lower, Sri Lanka 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.51 R$27.48
$3.39 LKR 1,080
62.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.01 R$145
$23.69 LKR 7,554
22.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R$30.69
$6.61 LKR 2,107
-6.96%
Cappuccino
$1.72 R$8.61
$2.60 LKR 831
-33.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 R$5.60
$0.73 LKR 234
53.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 R$3.52
$0.36 LKR 115
97.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.76 R$8.77
$2.31 LKR 737
-23.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 R$13.28
$3.26 LKR 1,038
-18.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 R$4.96
$1.68 LKR 536
-41.07%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 R$7.36
$0.58 LKR 184
153.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 R$6.07
$0.81 LKR 258
50.62%
Eggs
$2.10 R$10.45
$2.20 LKR 703
-4.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.74 R$43.60
$12.91 LKR 4,116
-32.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.70 R$18.48
$4.78 LKR 1,524
-22.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.43 R$37.08
$7.73 LKR 2,465
-3.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 R$10.73
$7.18 LKR 2,291
-70.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.32 R$6.57
$0.97 LKR 310
36.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 R$5.70
$5.82 LKR 1,855
-80.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.45 R$7.23
$1.38 LKR 442
5.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.18 R$5.88
$1.11 LKR 353
6.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 R$5.27
$1.16 LKR 369
-8.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 R$3.54
$1.13 LKR 362
-37.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 R$3.19
$0.57 LKR 183
12.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18 R$10.90
$10.14 LKR 3,232
-78.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.05 R$40.17
$12.47 LKR 3,978
-35.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 R$5.90
$2.14 LKR 682
-44.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 R$11.20
$2.88 LKR 919
-21.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 R$4.30
$0.24 LKR 77.0
258.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.78 R$208
$4.89 LKR 1,558
754.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.10 R$5.50
$0.38 LKR 122
189.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.84 R$4.18
$0.32 LKR 103
162.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.40 R$36.95
$0.52 LKR 166
1323.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.08 R$5.39
$1.26 LKR 400
-14.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K R$107.9K
$26.3K LKR 8.4M
-17.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K R$135.8K
$37.3K LKR 11.9M
-27.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$68.1 R$340
$48.20 LKR 15.4K
41.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.12 R$70.5
$4.61 LKR 1,471
206.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.25 R$96.0
$15.35 LKR 4,896
25.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.11 R$115
$12.99 LKR 4,141
77.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.58 R$113
$6.02 LKR 1,920
275.08%
Cinema Ticket
$6.26 R$31.22
$3.41 LKR 1,087
83.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$282 R$1,409
$36.78 LKR 11.7K
667.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,250 R$36.2K
$451 LKR 143.9K
1507.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.23 R$246
$26.95 LKR 8,594
82.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.14 R$210
$18.59 LKR 5,929
126.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.1 R$375
$64.6 LKR 20.6K
16.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$62.0 R$309
$36.97 LKR 11.8K
67.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$326 R$1,628
$272 LKR 86.6K
20.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$226 R$1,130
$142 LKR 45.1K
60.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$654 R$3,265
$609 LKR 194.1K
7.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$450 R$2,245
$270 LKR 86.1K
66.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,947 R$9,716
$3,459 LKR 1.1M
-43.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,317 R$6,572
$1,210 LKR 386.0K
8.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brazil
Sri Lanka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$541 R$2,700
$218 LKR 69.5K
148.28%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.16
16.21
-31.15%

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

Last update for Brazil: April 28, 2026

Last update for Sri Lanka: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $305 in Brazil vs $54.0 in Sri Lanka. For reference, capital cities sit at $402 in Brasilia and $338 in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Average salary: $498 in Brazil vs $196 in Sri Lanka. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 465% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 42% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 3800% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 154% higher in Brazil, giving Brazil 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 Sri Lanka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Sri Lanka compare in cost of living?
Sri Lanka is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 114% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Sri Lanka?
Housing costs more in Brazil, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Brazil consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Sri Lanka?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Sri Lanka, contributing to the overall 114% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $1,200 go in Brazil vs Sri Lanka?
$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Sri Lanka, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka 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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