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 $720 per month in China vs $846 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,148 per month in China vs $1,346 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,576 per month in China vs $1,845 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in China is roughly 15% 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 48% lower, Brazil 39% lower.

Cost ranges are similar: China spans $468–$1,236, Brazil $598–$1,403. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 ¥19.60

$6.47 R$33.16

-54.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.72 ¥152

$33.65 R$173

-32.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.95

$7.92 R$40.59

-35.98%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ¥19.70

$2.07 R$10.61

42.03%

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$1.26 R$6.48

-61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.02

$0.74 R$3.77

-59.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ¥7.10

$1.92 R$9.86

-44.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.07

$2.94 R$15.09

-23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥11.99

$1.08 R$5.52

65.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.35

$1.74 R$8.92

-2.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.45

$1.30 R$6.69

-26.15%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.79

$2.23 R$11.42

-27.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 ¥91.1

$9.16 R$46.94

48.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ¥22.84

$4.33 R$22.22

-21.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ¥74.2

$8.46 R$43.35

30.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.09

$2.22 R$11.37

-18.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.74

$1.33 R$6.81

-2.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.91

$1.20 R$6.16

23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.72

$1.52 R$7.78

-14.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

$1.19 R$6.13

-39.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.31

$1.07 R$5.47

-12.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.08

$0.84 R$4.30

-27.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.73

$0.80 R$4.09

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 ¥24.58

$2.39 R$12.27

53.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 ¥79.7

$7.62 R$39.06

56.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.56

$1.36 R$6.98

-38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.08

$2.32 R$11.89

-28.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$1.02 R$5.23

-71.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.61 ¥151

$44.47 R$228

-49.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$1.30 R$6.66

11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.31

$0.94 R$4.83

-63.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ¥48.72

$8.03 R$41.15

-9.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.26

$1.25 R$6.39

-1.60%

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

$19.5K ¥130.9K

$23.0K R$117.7K

-14.93%

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

$17.2K ¥115.5K

$31.6K R$161.8K

-45.37%

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

$55.5 ¥371

$81.0 R$415

-31.51%

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

$8.51 ¥57.0

$12.79 R$65.6

-33.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.81 ¥72.4

$20.82 R$107

-48.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 ¥268

$25.51 R$131

56.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 ¥99.1

$26.17 R$134

-43.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ¥45.09

$6.99 R$35.81

-3.72%

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

$454 ¥3,042

$337 R$1,725

34.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$8,862 R$45.4K

120.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.95 ¥301

$53.1 R$272

-15.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 ¥240

$48.80 R$250

-26.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥514

$88.6 R$454

-13.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ¥518

$68.5 R$351

12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ¥2,581

$377 R$1,933

2.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ¥1,623

$244 R$1,250

-0.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 ¥5,603

$724 R$3,713

15.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥3,177

$477 R$2,445

-0.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,619 ¥30.9K

$1,846 R$9,462

150.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,316 ¥15.5K

$1,262 R$6,469

83.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ¥7,110

$524 R$2,686

102.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.47

11.19

-68.99%

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

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Last update for Brazil: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $295 in China vs $341 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $957 in Beijing (Pekin) and $479 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $865 in China vs $487 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 43% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 129% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 78% 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

China is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 17% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in China, contributing to the overall 17% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in China, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

China 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.