Cost of Living Comparison Between Diadema and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Diadema and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in Diadema versus $862 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,298 in Diadema versus $1,428 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,806 in Diadema versus $1,993 in Brasilia.

Living in Diadema costs roughly 8% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Diadema 41% lower, Brasilia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 R$36.41

$7.02 R$36.15

0.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.07 R$201

$38.86 R$200

0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 R$36.14

$6.32 R$32.57

11.08%

Cappuccino

$1.79 R$9.21

$1.96 R$10.09

-8.67%

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

$1.25 R$6.44

$1.18 R$6.07

5.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.42

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$9.09

$1.85 R$9.55

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 R$14.44

$3.18 R$16.36

-11.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.51

$0.99 R$5.12

8.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.78

$1.60 R$8.23

-5.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.48

$1.41 R$7.27

-10.64%

Eggs

$2.39 R$12.34

$2.04 R$10.49

17.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 R$41.58

$9.45 R$48.70

-14.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 R$19.38

$3.40 R$17.51

10.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 R$45.79

$7.04 R$36.25

26.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 R$11.55

$1.96 R$10.10

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.21

$1.40 R$7.23

27.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.60

$1.20 R$6.20

23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.93

$1.66 R$8.54

-7.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.40

$1.24 R$6.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.88

$1.31 R$6.72

-12.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.13

$0.81 R$4.15

-1.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.15

$0.63 R$3.24

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.58 R$13.29

$2.13 R$10.97

21.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.80 R$45.35

$9.02 R$46.48

-2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.68

$1.10 R$5.69

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 R$12.26

$2.39 R$12.30

-0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.42

$1.03 R$5.30

-16.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.04 R$201

$44.41 R$229

-12.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R$4.78

$0.94 R$4.86

-1.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.69

$0.81 R$4.15

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 R$44.76

$5.57 R$28.70

56.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.22

$1.12 R$5.78

-9.82%

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

$21.3K R$109.9K

$25.0K R$128.8K

-14.67%

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

$28.3K R$145.5K

$29.1K R$150.0K

-2.96%

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

$46.43 R$239

$72.2 R$372

-35.72%

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

$13.04 R$67.2

$13.08 R$67.4

-0.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.80 R$96.9

$20.40 R$105

-7.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.25 R$115

$24.97 R$129

-10.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.83 R$112

$21.29 R$110

2.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 R$28.65

$7.08 R$36.46

-21.47%

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

$317 R$1,631

$488 R$2,516

-35.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,887 R$35.5K

$15.0K R$77.2K

-54.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 R$267

$58.3 R$300

-11.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.59 R$219

$41.97 R$216

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 R$405

$69.8 R$359

12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.0 R$371

$65.2 R$336

10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 R$1,596

$408 R$2,100

-24.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,134

$260 R$1,340

-15.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 R$2,963

$949 R$4,886

-39.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 R$2,190

$562 R$2,894

-24.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,224 R$6,304

$2,540 R$13.1K

-51.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$785 R$4,042

$1,714 R$8,828

-54.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 R$2,561

$846 R$4,359

-41.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.87

-8.00%

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

Last update for Diadema: June 1, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Diadema and $408 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 70% 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: $39.00 in Diadema vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 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

Diadema vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Diadema and Brasilia differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($790 vs $862 including rent). Diadema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brasilia earns 70% 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: $310 in Diadema versus $408 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $790 per month in Diadema versus $862 in Brasilia – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Diadema 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 Diadema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.