Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuiaba and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuiaba and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $816 in Cuiaba versus $862 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,252 in Cuiaba versus $1,428 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,689 in Cuiaba versus $1,993 in Brasilia.

Living in Cuiaba costs roughly 5% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cuiaba 39% lower, Brasilia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 R$17.73

$7.02 R$35.12

-49.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.96 R$89.9

$38.86 R$194

-53.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 R$30.44

$6.32 R$31.64

-3.80%

Cappuccino

$1.62 R$8.09

$1.96 R$9.80

-17.35%

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

$0.96 R$4.82

$1.18 R$5.89

-18.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.07

$0.86 R$4.30

-29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.24 R$6.23

$1.85 R$9.28

-32.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 R$10.94

$3.18 R$15.89

-31.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.32

$0.99 R$4.98

7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.57

$1.60 R$7.99

-5.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.34

$1.41 R$7.06

18.44%

Eggs

$3.20 R$16.02

$2.04 R$10.19

56.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 R$56.3

$9.45 R$47.31

18.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.45 R$22.25

$3.40 R$17.01

30.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.13 R$50.7

$7.04 R$35.21

43.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 R$10.79

$1.96 R$9.82

10.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R$8.49

$1.40 R$7.02

21.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 R$8.89

$1.20 R$6.02

48.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 R$11.31

$1.66 R$8.29

36.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 R$10.47

$1.24 R$6.20

68.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 R$7.97

$1.31 R$6.53

21.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.81 R$4.03

-16.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.37

$0.63 R$3.15

101.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 R$10.39

$2.13 R$10.66

-2.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 R$50.9

$9.02 R$45.16

12.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 R$8.82

$1.10 R$5.53

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 R$11.20

$2.39 R$11.95

-6.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.41

$1.03 R$5.15

-14.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.75 R$194

$44.41 R$222

-12.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.27

$0.94 R$4.72

11.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.73

$0.81 R$4.03

-8.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 R$31.15

$5.57 R$27.88

11.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.00

$1.12 R$5.61

-10.71%

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

$21.0K R$105.3K

$25.0K R$125.2K

-15.88%

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

$27.7K R$138.7K

$29.1K R$145.7K

-4.80%

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

$61.3 R$307

$72.2 R$361

-15.15%

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

$18.30 R$91.6

$13.08 R$65.5

39.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.56 R$118

$20.40 R$102

15.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.56 R$113

$24.97 R$125

-9.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 R$99.7

$21.29 R$107

-6.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.37 R$21.85

$7.08 R$35.42

-38.28%

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

$248 R$1,242

$488 R$2,444

-49.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,108 R$25.6K

$15.0K R$75.0K

-65.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 R$253

$58.3 R$292

-13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 R$230

$41.97 R$210

9.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 R$688

$69.8 R$349

96.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.7 R$314

$65.2 R$327

-3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 R$1,429

$408 R$2,040

-29.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 R$962

$260 R$1,302

-26.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,823

$949 R$4,747

-40.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 R$1,581

$562 R$2,811

-43.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,279 R$6,398

$2,540 R$12.7K

-49.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 R$4,003

$1,714 R$8,576

-53.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 R$2,131

$846 R$4,235

-49.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

11.87

55.86%

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

Last update for Cuiaba: May 30, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Cuiaba and $408 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 99% 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: $18.00 in Cuiaba vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 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

Cuiaba vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuiaba and Brasilia differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($816 vs $862 including rent). Cuiaba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brasilia earns 99% less. 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: $285 in Cuiaba versus $408 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuiaba – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $816 per month in Cuiaba versus $862 in Brasilia – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Cuiaba 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 Cuiaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.