Cost of Living Comparison Between Changsha and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Changsha and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $770 in Changsha versus $880 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,221 in Changsha versus $1,446 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,673 in Changsha versus $2,011 in Brasilia.

Living in Changsha costs roughly 13% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changsha 43% lower, Brasilia 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 ¥19.63

$7.19 R$35.88

-60.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.69 ¥142

$39.72 R$198

-47.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.62

$6.24 R$31.13

-21.31%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ¥20.26

$1.88 R$9.37

57.45%

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

$0.46 ¥3.16

$1.16 R$5.81

-60.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.71

$0.87 R$4.37

-71.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.45

$1.82 R$9.10

-40.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.74

$3.28 R$16.38

-43.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ¥13.25

$0.93 R$4.64

107.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 ¥15.35

$1.62 R$8.09

38.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.25

$1.41 R$7.02

-35.46%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥11.06

$2.10 R$10.47

-23.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 ¥109

$9.29 R$46.36

71.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 ¥21.94

$3.31 R$16.51

-3.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 ¥60.9

$6.85 R$34.19

29.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.61

$2.00 R$9.98

-8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.16

$1.34 R$6.70

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.19

$1.22 R$6.06

45.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.43

$1.67 R$8.34

8.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$1.23 R$6.12

-27.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.98

$1.30 R$6.49

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.74 R$3.71

-35.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ¥2.73

$0.61 R$3.07

-34.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 ¥19.38

$2.18 R$10.88

29.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 ¥84.8

$10.10 R$50.4

22.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥6.09

$1.11 R$5.55

-19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ¥9.83

$2.35 R$11.74

-39.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ¥2.50

$1.03 R$5.12

-64.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.21 ¥97.3

$43.64 R$218

-67.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.49

$0.94 R$4.71

31.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.78

$0.79 R$3.94

-67.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 ¥55.7

$5.82 R$29.03

39.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.10

$1.14 R$5.67

3.51%

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

$20.7K ¥142.1K

$25.4K R$126.6K

-18.24%

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

$21.9K ¥149.9K

$28.2K R$140.9K

-22.50%

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

$42.83 ¥293

$69.9 R$349

-38.72%

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

$12.61 ¥86.4

$13.04 R$65.1

-3.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.52 ¥99.5

$20.00 R$99.8

-27.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 ¥391

$24.95 R$124

128.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.08 ¥158

$21.77 R$109

6.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 ¥40.75

$7.00 R$34.91

-15.00%

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

$313 ¥2,144

$488 R$2,435

-35.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,239 ¥49.6K

$15.0K R$74.6K

-51.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 ¥580

$58.1 R$290

45.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.31 ¥214

$41.98 R$209

-25.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 ¥563

$69.1 R$345

18.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 ¥475

$64.0 R$320

8.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 ¥1,424

$402 R$2,007

-48.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 ¥1,170

$263 R$1,312

-35.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ¥3,463

$978 R$4,881

-48.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,504

$564 R$2,813

-35.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ¥17.1K

$2,751 R$13.7K

-9.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,325 ¥9,073

$1,816 R$9,060

-27.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,094 ¥7,496

$762 R$3,801

43.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

11.87

-67.23%

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

Last update for Changsha: April 25, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Changsha and $402 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changsha pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Changsha vs $40.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $220 vs $183, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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

Changsha vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changsha and Brasilia differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($770 vs $880 including rent). Changsha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Changsha pays 44% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $208 in Changsha versus $402 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changsha – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $770 per month in Changsha versus $880 in Brasilia – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Changsha 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 Changsha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.