Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between London and Brasilia

For one person, living is cheaper in Brasilia: $907 a month against $4,048 in London, rent and utilities included – about $37,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

London, United Kingdom
Brasilia, Brazil
London
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$4,048
/mo nomad
Brasilia
🇧🇷 Brazil
$907
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in London and in Brasilia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in London and in Brasilia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,048 in London versus $907 in Brasilia.

  • London $4,048
  • Brasilia $907

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,903 in London versus $1,501 in Brasilia.

  • London $5,903
  • Brasilia $1,501

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,758 in London versus $2,094 in Brasilia.

  • London $7,758
  • Brasilia $2,094

Living in London is roughly 346% more expensive than in Brasilia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: London is 199% above, Brasilia is 33% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
London
Brasilia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.36 £19.59
$8.23 R$45.18
220.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$109 £80.7
$37.50 R$206
189.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.71 £7.96
$8.00 R$43.91
33.88%
Cappuccino
$5.59 £4.15
$2.44 R$13.37
129.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 £2.23
$1.37 R$7.53
118.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22 £1.65
$0.97 R$5.34
128.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.65 £7.17
$2.27 R$12.43
325.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.26 £6.14
$3.58 R$19.67
130.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
London
Brasilia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.97 £1.46
$0.94 R$5.17
109.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.09 £1.55
$1.93 R$10.60
8.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.59 £1.93
$1.22 R$6.68
112.30%
Eggs
$5.37 £3.99
$2.25 R$12.33
138.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.12 £9.75
$10.96 R$60.1
19.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.03 £8.20
$3.68 R$20.21
199.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.73 £13.17
$8.16 R$44.78
117.28%
Apples (1kg)
$3.17 £2.36
$2.28 R$12.51
39.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.38 £1.03
$1.37 R$7.50
0.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.82 £2.10
$1.24 R$6.81
127.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.36 £2.50
$1.50 R$8.20
124.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.70 £1.26
$1.09 R$5.97
55.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.78 £1.32
$1.02 R$5.62
74.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.49 £1.11
$0.76 R$4.17
96.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 £1.35
$0.94 R$5.16
93.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.85 £17.72
$2.34 R$12.83
919.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.44 £9.98
$7.68 R$42.14
75.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.11 £2.31
$1.24 R$6.78
150.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49 £3.34
$2.22 R$12.20
102.25%
🚌 Getting Around
London
Brasilia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.13 £3.07
$0.77 R$4.24
436.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$266 £198
$30.34 R$166
776.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.98 £4.44
$1.20 R$6.58
398.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.39 £2.52
$0.84 R$4.63
303.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$56.6 £42.03
$7.22 R$39.63
683.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.21 £1.64
$1.20 R$6.57
84.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.3K £28.4K
$21.4K R$117.4K
78.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$41.0K £30.5K
$31.7K R$173.7K
29.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
Brasilia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$372 £277
$87.9 R$482
323.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.66 £13.87
$11.11 R$61.0
67.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.53 £30.12
$20.19 R$111
100.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
London
Brasilia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.0 £41.63
$30.40 R$167
84.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.10 £12.71
$25.58 R$140
-33.15%
Cinema Ticket
$17.95 £13.34
$7.23 R$39.67
148.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
London
Brasilia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,946 £2,189
$765 R$4,200
284.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$47.6K £35.4K
$16.6K R$91.3K
186.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
London
Brasilia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$116 £86.4
$53.1 R$291
119.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.9 £42.28
$41.52 R$228
37.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$128 £95.1
$78.7 R$432
62.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 £114
$81.4 R$446
89.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
London
Brasilia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,935 £2,182
$508 R$2,785
478.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,258 £1,678
$246 R$1,352
816.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,250 £3,901
$1,132 R$6,211
363.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,859 £2,868
$584 R$3,207
560.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$17.2K £12.8K
$2,281 R$12.5K
653.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$8,278 £6,152
$1,623 R$8,907
409.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
London
Brasilia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,621 £4,177
$859 R$4,716
554.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.78
12.12
-60.56%

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

Last update for London: November 1, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
London
$2.3K
Brasilia
$246 89.1% $2K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
London
$432
Brasilia
$119 72.4% $312
Eating Out
London
$396
Brasilia
$147 62.9% $249
Groceries & Markets
London
$360
Brasilia
$196 45.6% $164
Getting Around
London
$305
Brasilia
$39 87.3% $267
Clothing & Footwear
London
$205
Brasilia
$115 44% $90
Sport & Entertainment
London
$92
Brasilia
$45 51.2% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,935 in London and $508 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

London pays about 6.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $109 in London vs $38 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $196 per month, with Brasilia cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 London
🇧🇷 Brasilia
🕒 Local time
12:37 12:37 PM
09:37 9:37 AM
3 h behind London
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,908,083 Capital
2,817,381 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.743 GBP (1 GBP = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 0.835 GBP (1 GBP = 1.2 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.16 BRL (1 BRL = 0.162 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • London Brasilia 8,790 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • London
  • Brasilia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
London vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in London and in Brasilia?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $4,048 in London and $907 in Brasilia, so Brasilia is about 78% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: London or Brasilia?
Average pay in London is about 6.5 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in London and in Brasilia?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,935 in London versus $508 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $38 versus $109 in London. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: London or Brasilia?
All in, you’ll spend $4,048 per month in London versus $907 in Brasilia – Brasilia is about 78% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $907 in Brasilia versus $4,048 in London, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Brasilia but tight or insufficient in London. The gap between the two cities makes Brasilia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between London and Brasilia?
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.
Where should expats move: London or Brasilia?
Expats usually find Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in London. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

London vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?