Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Brazil Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Brazil

Name: Brazil
Address: BR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $713 per month in China vs $764 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,132 per month in China vs $1,221 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,551 per month in China vs $1,678 in Brazil, rent included.

China is roughly 7% cheaper than Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both China and Brazil are more affordable than the global median – China 47% lower, Brazil 43% lower.

China has a wider regional cost range ($535–$1,206) than Brazil ($568–$1,032), so location matters more when choosing where to live in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$5.48 R$27.72

-47.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$28.29 R$143

-17.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$6.16 R$31.17

-21.59%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.52

$1.79 R$9.04

69.83%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.08 R$5.45

-58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.70 R$3.57

-61.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

$1.78 R$9.00

-44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

$2.74 R$13.88

-25.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.86

$0.99 R$5.02

76.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.53 R$7.74

9.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$1.22 R$6.18

-20.49%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$2.10 R$10.62

-26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$8.72 R$44.12

52.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.69

$3.83 R$19.37

-16.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.0

$7.51 R$38.00

43.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$2.03 R$10.28

-10.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.84

$1.34 R$6.76

-2.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$1.14 R$5.78

31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$1.48 R$7.47

-22.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$1.12 R$5.66

-34.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$1.09 R$5.52

-20.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.76 R$3.85

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.68 R$3.45

-20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.88

$2.11 R$10.70

67.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

$7.58 R$38.36

54.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$1.23 R$6.24

-31.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

$2.22 R$11.23

-24.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.93 R$4.70

-55.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$41.40 R$210

-49.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$1.09 R$5.53

24.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.84 R$4.25

-60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

$7.40 R$37.47

-7.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$1.08 R$5.47

3.70%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

$21.8K R$110.4K

-12.01%

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

$16.9K ¥114.4K

$27.2K R$137.9K

-37.87%

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

$51.8 ¥350

$69.2 R$350

-25.08%

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

$9.85 ¥66.6

$13.63 R$69.0

-27.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.3

$18.79 R$95.1

-40.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥264

$22.85 R$116

71.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$22.76 R$115

-34.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.24

$6.24 R$31.58

0.16%

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

$404 ¥2,732

$285 R$1,443

41.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$7,497 R$38.0K

137.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$48.45 R$245

-4.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥218

$43.12 R$218

-25.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥491

$74.8 R$379

-2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$62.0 R$314

17.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,009

$337 R$1,705

32.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,727

$225 R$1,141

13.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,266

$655 R$3,317

41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,600

$455 R$2,301

17.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.4K

$1,848 R$9,356

167.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$1,200 R$6,077

107.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,148

$512 R$2,595

106.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.16

-63.62%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for Brazil: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $286 in China vs $305 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $913 in Beijing (Pekin) and $414 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $862 in China vs $479 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 7% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 29% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 117% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 80% higher in China, giving China 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

China vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 9% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 9% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

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