Cost of Living Comparison Between Itapema and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Itapema and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $781 in Itapema versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in Itapema versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Itapema versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Itapema costs roughly 18% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Itapema 43% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 R$26.92

$8.61 R$44.15

-39.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.48 R$146

$39.06 R$200

-27.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 R$31.69

$8.00 R$40.99

-22.75%

Cappuccino

$1.76 R$9.00

$2.55 R$13.05

-30.98%

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

$1.09 R$5.58

$1.45 R$7.44

-24.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.18

$0.96 R$4.94

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.03

$2.26 R$11.57

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R$14.18

$3.89 R$19.94

-28.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 R$4.80

$1.07 R$5.47

-12.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.40

$2.04 R$10.45

-29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.83

$1.26 R$6.45

-9.52%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.35

$2.44 R$12.51

-17.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.10 R$41.49

$12.06 R$61.8

-32.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.51 R$17.97

$4.06 R$20.82

-13.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 R$37.55

$8.24 R$42.25

-11.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 R$11.01

$2.34 R$12.01

-8.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.42

$1.42 R$7.28

-11.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.82

$1.27 R$6.52

-10.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 R$7.67

$1.65 R$8.48

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.10

$1.16 R$5.93

2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.64

$1.01 R$5.18

8.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 R$3.42

$0.83 R$4.26

-19.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.41

$0.98 R$5.00

-31.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.79

$2.39 R$12.22

-11.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 R$37.79

$7.99 R$40.95

-7.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 R$6.30

$1.30 R$6.67

-5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 R$10.74

$2.40 R$12.28

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.41

$0.92 R$4.69

-6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.18 R$201

$35.15 R$180

11.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.66

$1.05 R$5.39

5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.86

$0.85 R$4.38

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.41 R$32.86

$5.97 R$30.58

7.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.27

$1.28 R$6.56

-19.53%

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

$20.7K R$106.2K

$22.6K R$115.9K

-8.42%

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

$27.8K R$142.3K

$32.1K R$164.5K

-13.48%

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

$60.3 R$309

$91.1 R$467

-33.75%

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

$13.37 R$68.5

$12.43 R$63.7

7.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 R$94.9

$22.55 R$116

-17.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.89 R$117

$31.51 R$161

-27.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.37 R$110

$26.35 R$135

-18.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 R$32.36

$7.86 R$40.26

-19.72%

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

$285 R$1,460

$813 R$4,168

-64.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,545 R$33.5K

$16.3K R$83.6K

-59.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.79 R$245

$52.2 R$268

-8.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 R$218

$43.67 R$224

-2.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 R$384

$82.7 R$424

-9.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 R$329

$86.5 R$443

-25.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,623

$500 R$2,564

-36.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 R$1,121

$266 R$1,364

-17.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 R$2,932

$1,133 R$5,806

-49.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 R$2,171

$562 R$2,879

-24.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,462 R$7,492

$2,411 R$12.4K

-39.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,033 R$5,294

$1,705 R$8,738

-39.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,489

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.8

-7.46%

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

Last update for Itapema: August 31, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Itapema and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Itapema vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $209 per month, with Itapema cheaper across the board.

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

Itapema vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Itapema and Brasilia differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($781 vs $957 including rent). Itapema is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,172 in Itapema and $1,435 in Brasilia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $317 in Itapema versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Itapema – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $781 per month in Itapema versus $957 in Brasilia – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $781 in Itapema versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Itapema but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Itapema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Itapema and Brasilia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Itapema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.