Cost of Living Comparison Between Caruaru and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Caruaru and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $584 in Caruaru versus $863 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Caruaru versus $1,429 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,333 in Caruaru versus $1,995 in Brasilia.

Living in Caruaru costs roughly 32% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caruaru 56% lower, Brasilia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.50 R$23.03

$7.42 R$37.99

-39.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.43 R$140

$38.98 R$199

-29.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 R$33.01

$6.14 R$31.40

5.05%

Cappuccino

$1.64 R$8.40

$1.92 R$9.83

-14.58%

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

$0.99 R$5.05

$1.18 R$6.02

-16.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 R$1.76

$0.83 R$4.23

-59.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 R$5.59

$1.78 R$9.12

-38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 R$7.22

$3.33 R$17.06

-57.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.77

$0.95 R$4.87

18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 R$4.86

$1.63 R$8.34

-41.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.71

$1.46 R$7.48

-36.99%

Eggs

$2.50 R$12.80

$2.08 R$10.65

20.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 R$17.98

$9.40 R$48.12

-62.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.48

$3.39 R$17.34

-22.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.95 R$30.44

$6.71 R$34.34

-11.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.27

$1.93 R$9.86

-36.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.41

$1.36 R$6.98

-36.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 R$4.05

$1.16 R$5.93

-31.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.26

$1.67 R$8.56

-38.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 R$4.05

$1.24 R$6.36

-36.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.47

$1.31 R$6.68

-33.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 R$1.93

$0.73 R$3.76

-47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.84

$0.67 R$3.42

-16.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.69 R$13.74

$2.17 R$11.13

23.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 R$39.84

$8.06 R$41.26

-3.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 R$7.41

$1.10 R$5.65

31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 R$14.69

$2.28 R$11.68

25.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$4.04

$0.97 R$4.97

-18.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.88 R$122

$43.32 R$222

-44.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 R$9.42

$0.95 R$4.86

93.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 R$3.22

$0.79 R$4.06

-20.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 R$14.36

$5.83 R$29.84

-51.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 R$3.97

$1.14 R$5.83

-31.58%

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

$19.1K R$97.9K

$25.2K R$129.0K

-24.09%

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

$28.6K R$146.4K

$29.2K R$149.2K

-1.90%

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

$50.5 R$259

$71.8 R$367

-29.60%

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

$7.37 R$37.72

$13.11 R$67.1

-43.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.84 R$45.24

$20.49 R$105

-56.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.63 R$69.7

$24.96 R$128

-45.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.06 R$138

$21.52 R$110

25.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 R$33.87

$7.34 R$37.58

-9.81%

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

$98.7 R$505

$485 R$2,483

-79.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,131 R$31.4K

$15.2K R$77.7K

-59.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.53 R$182

$58.1 R$297

-38.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.01 R$230

$42.02 R$215

7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 R$575

$67.7 R$347

65.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 R$303

$64.3 R$329

-7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 R$761

$400 R$2,048

-62.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 R$598

$262 R$1,342

-55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 R$1,661

$944 R$4,828

-65.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 R$1,200

$557 R$2,849

-57.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,835

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$258 R$1,318

$919 R$4,705

-71.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

-15.75%

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

Last update for Caruaru: July 27, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $149 in Caruaru and $400 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 257% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $27.00 in Caruaru vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $136 vs $180 per month, with Caruaru cheaper across the board.

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

Caruaru vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caruaru and Brasilia differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($584 vs $863 including rent). Caruaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 257% lower in Brasilia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $149 in Caruaru versus $400 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Caruaru – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $584 per month in Caruaru versus $863 in Brasilia – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Caruaru gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Caruaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.