Cost of Living Comparison Between Lages and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Lages and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $823 in Lages versus $870 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,290 in Lages versus $1,408 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,758 in Lages versus $1,946 in Brasilia.

Living in Lages costs roughly 5% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lages 39% lower, Brasilia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.21 R$30.89

$7.18 R$35.71

-13.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.64 R$132

$39.91 R$198

-33.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 R$31.72

$6.46 R$32.11

-1.24%

Cappuccino

$1.89 R$9.42

$1.93 R$9.58

-2.07%

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

$1.13 R$5.60

$1.21 R$5.99

-6.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.06

$0.82 R$4.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 R$10.49

$1.81 R$9.02

16.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 R$17.51

$3.32 R$16.51

6.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 R$4.18

$1.01 R$5.04

-16.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.16

$1.62 R$8.04

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.22

$1.44 R$7.16

-27.08%

Eggs

$2.05 R$10.18

$2.10 R$10.45

-2.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.73 R$53.3

$9.01 R$44.76

19.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 R$22.04

$3.33 R$16.53

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 R$45.67

$6.66 R$33.09

37.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 R$10.20

$2.01 R$9.96

1.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.28

$1.36 R$6.74

-7.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.54

$1.16 R$5.79

13.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.29

$1.62 R$8.03

-9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.47

$1.24 R$6.16

-11.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.08

$1.29 R$6.41

-20.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.63

$0.74 R$3.69

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.08

$0.62 R$3.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 R$9.84

$2.11 R$10.49

-6.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 R$39.49

$10.00 R$49.69

-20.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.11

$1.06 R$5.26

-2.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 R$9.22

$2.36 R$11.74

-21.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.62

$0.95 R$4.72

-2.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.77 R$193

$43.46 R$216

-10.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 R$7.96

$1.00 R$4.98

60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 R$5.18

$0.76 R$3.76

36.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 R$26.41

$5.69 R$28.27

-6.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.51

$1.13 R$5.60

-1.77%

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

$24.2K R$120.5K

$25.4K R$126.4K

-4.70%

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

$28.1K R$139.4K

$29.1K R$144.5K

-3.50%

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

$61.2 R$304

$71.6 R$356

-14.60%

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

$14.54 R$72.2

$13.41 R$66.7

8.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.27 R$101

$20.52 R$102

-1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.35 R$111

$25.34 R$126

-11.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 R$106

$21.88 R$109

-2.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.48 R$32.19

$7.14 R$35.50

-9.24%

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

$310 R$1,540

$483 R$2,402

-35.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,269 R$36.1K

$15.3K R$76.1K

-52.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.64 R$242

$58.6 R$291

-16.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 R$286

$41.60 R$207

38.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 R$402

$68.1 R$339

18.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.2 R$314

$65.0 R$323

-2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 R$1,585

$407 R$2,021

-21.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,095

$254 R$1,262

-13.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,925

$965 R$4,795

-39.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,157

$561 R$2,787

-22.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,553 R$7,716

$2,683 R$13.3K

-42.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,227 R$6,098

$1,795 R$8,923

-31.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$760 R$3,779

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

-15.75%

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

Last update for Lages: April 20, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $319 in Lages and $407 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27 in Lages vs $40 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $182, 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

Lages vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lages and Brasilia differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($823 vs $870 including rent). Lages is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,234 in Lages and $1,306 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: $319 in Lages versus $407 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lages – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $823 per month in Lages versus $870 in Brasilia – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Lages 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 Lages 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.