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 $712 per month in China vs $765 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,131 per month in China vs $1,223 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,549 per month in China vs $1,680 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in China is roughly 7% lower than in 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.

The regional cost range is wider in China ($533–$1,212) than in Brazil ($572–$1,046), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 ¥18.72

$5.47 R$28.00

-49.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.05 ¥162

$28.37 R$145

-15.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ¥31.93

$6.46 R$33.08

-26.78%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.78

$1.76 R$9.03

75.00%

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

$0.44 ¥3.00

$1.12 R$5.75

-60.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.66 R$3.37

-56.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.80

$1.76 R$8.99

-42.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥14.03

$2.72 R$13.91

-23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.39

$0.97 R$4.95

88.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$1.49 R$7.63

8.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.58

$1.18 R$6.02

-17.80%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.90

$2.11 R$10.79

-23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ¥90.1

$8.66 R$44.32

54.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥22.75

$3.83 R$19.60

-12.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 ¥72.2

$7.44 R$38.05

43.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.26

$2.07 R$10.60

-12.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.44

$1.32 R$6.75

-5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$1.17 R$6.00

24.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.73

$1.43 R$7.31

-19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$1.17 R$5.99

-37.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥5.99

$1.05 R$5.40

-15.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.75 R$3.86

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$0.64 R$3.29

-17.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.93

$2.11 R$10.79

60.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 ¥79.3

$7.94 R$40.62

47.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.23

$1.22 R$6.25

-36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.98

$2.23 R$11.42

-26.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.86 R$4.39

-52.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.24 ¥143

$40.49 R$207

-47.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ¥9.13

$1.05 R$5.38

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.83 R$4.27

-56.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ¥45.26

$7.00 R$35.85

-4.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.04 R$5.32

13.46%

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

$19.8K ¥133.4K

$21.8K R$111.5K

-9.35%

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

$16.5K ¥111.7K

$27.3K R$139.5K

-39.37%

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

$51.7 ¥349

$70.3 R$360

-26.37%

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

$10.09 ¥68.2

$14.04 R$71.8

-28.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥76.9

$18.81 R$96.3

-39.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.24 ¥265

$23.15 R$118

69.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 ¥100

$22.38 R$115

-33.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ¥42.56

$6.18 R$31.60

1.94%

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

$414 ¥2,795

$289 R$1,479

43.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ¥117.6K

$7,356 R$37.6K

136.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.77 ¥316

$48.26 R$247

-3.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.08 ¥223

$42.55 R$218

-22.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ¥479

$75.8 R$388

-6.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

$63.1 R$323

17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 ¥2,972

$339 R$1,733

29.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ¥1,707

$224 R$1,146

12.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 ¥6,153

$639 R$3,269

42.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 ¥3,584

$443 R$2,266

19.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,778 ¥32.3K

$1,835 R$9,389

160.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 ¥16.2K

$1,239 R$6,338

93.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ¥7,144

$517 R$2,648

104.41%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Brazil: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $287 in China vs $304 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $909 in Beijing (Pekin) and $400 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $857 in China vs $486 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 6% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 29% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 117% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 76% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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 8% 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 8% 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.