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: $651 in Caruaru versus $969 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,076 in Caruaru versus $1,551 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,501 in Caruaru versus $2,132 in Brasilia.

Living in Caruaru costs roughly 33% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caruaru 53% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 R$29.47

$8.92 R$45.76

-35.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.70 R$152

$38.80 R$199

-23.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 R$39.84

$8.49 R$43.55

-8.48%

Cappuccino

$1.48 R$7.61

$2.58 R$13.25

-42.64%

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

$0.98 R$5.03

$1.41 R$7.22

-30.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.22

$0.90 R$4.62

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 R$8.26

$2.36 R$12.08

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 R$12.26

$3.87 R$19.83

-38.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 R$6.06

$1.08 R$5.53

9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 R$5.41

$2.03 R$10.43

-48.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.87

$1.28 R$6.58

4.69%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.34

$2.43 R$12.45

-16.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.61 R$23.62

$11.81 R$60.6

-60.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 R$25.14

$4.11 R$21.10

19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 R$37.26

$8.48 R$43.47

-14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.18

$2.42 R$12.39

-42.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 R$4.98

$1.46 R$7.47

-33.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 R$4.19

$1.28 R$6.56

-35.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.82

$1.65 R$8.45

-30.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.90

$1.16 R$5.93

32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.39

$1.07 R$5.47

16.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.56

$0.79 R$4.04

-12.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.18

$0.95 R$4.85

-13.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R$15.31

$2.40 R$12.29

24.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.66 R$39.29

$8.23 R$42.18

-6.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 R$7.69

$1.22 R$6.27

22.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.90

$2.34 R$12.02

-0.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.71

$1.00 R$5.10

-8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 R$135

$35.06 R$180

-25.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R$5.87

$1.07 R$5.47

6.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 R$10.05

$0.92 R$4.73

113.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 R$15.27

$6.05 R$31.00

-50.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R$6.37

$1.31 R$6.73

-5.34%

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

$23.5K R$120.6K

$23.3K R$119.6K

0.85%

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

$32.0K R$163.9K

$31.9K R$163.6K

0.13%

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

$55.3 R$283

$96.4 R$494

-42.69%

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

$7.84 R$40.18

$12.61 R$64.7

-37.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.98 R$51.2

$21.81 R$112

-54.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.45 R$74.1

$31.07 R$159

-53.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.74 R$152

$27.00 R$138

10.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 R$36.57

$7.68 R$39.38

-7.16%

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

$107 R$548

$822 R$4,214

-87.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,432 R$33.0K

$16.4K R$84.3K

-60.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.19 R$196

$51.7 R$265

-26.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.54 R$254

$43.32 R$222

14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 R$448

$83.3 R$427

4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 R$330

$86.4 R$443

-25.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 R$839

$479 R$2,453

-65.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$127 R$652

$258 R$1,322

-50.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 R$1,754

$1,116 R$5,720

-69.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 R$1,299

$557 R$2,856

-54.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,964

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$255 R$1,305

$844 R$4,328

-69.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

-9.24%

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

Last update for Caruaru: September 8, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $164 in Caruaru and $479 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 232% 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: $30.00 in Caruaru vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $209 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 49% in total monthly costs ($651 vs $969 including rent). Caruaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 232% 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: $164 in Caruaru versus $479 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 $30.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $651 per month in Caruaru versus $969 in Brasilia – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $651 in Caruaru versus $969 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Caruaru but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Caruaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 49% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.