Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Maceio - Alagoas and Brasilia

For one person, living is cheaper in Maceio - Alagoas: $790 a month against $916 in Brasilia, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Maceio - Alagoas, Brazil
Brasilia, Brazil
Maceio - Alagoas
🇧🇷 Brazil
$790
/mo nomad
Brasilia
🇧🇷 Brazil
$916
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Maceio - Alagoas 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 Maceio - Alagoas and in Brasilia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $916 in Brasilia.

  • Maceio - Alagoas $790
  • Brasilia $916

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,239 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $1,514 in Brasilia.

  • Maceio - Alagoas $1,239
  • Brasilia $1,514

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,689 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $2,112 in Brasilia.

  • Maceio - Alagoas $1,689
  • Brasilia $2,112

Living in Maceio - Alagoas costs roughly 14% less than in Brasilia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maceio - Alagoas 42% lower, Brasilia 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.70 R$30.99
$8.44 R$45.89
-32.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.39 R$149
$36.71 R$200
-25.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.43 R$29.51
$7.98 R$43.42
-31.95%
Cappuccino
$1.67 R$9.06
$2.53 R$13.74
-33.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 R$5.62
$1.42 R$7.72
-27.46%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 R$2.64
$1.00 R$5.45
-52.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.50 R$8.18
$2.20 R$11.96
-31.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.89 R$21.17
$3.76 R$20.43
3.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 R$5.51
$1.02 R$5.54
-0.98%
White Bread (500g)
$1.86 R$10.14
$1.95 R$10.63
-4.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 R$5.40
$1.24 R$6.75
-20.16%
Eggs
$1.81 R$9.87
$2.27 R$12.37
-20.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.63 R$46.92
$11.17 R$60.8
-22.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.19 R$22.79
$3.86 R$21.02
8.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.96 R$37.87
$8.58 R$46.66
-18.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.66 R$14.45
$2.31 R$12.54
15.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 R$5.75
$1.38 R$7.50
-23.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.91
$1.26 R$6.84
0.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.29 R$6.99
$1.52 R$8.27
-15.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.37 R$7.43
$1.11 R$6.05
23.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 R$6.44
$0.98 R$5.31
20.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.51 R$2.78
$0.76 R$4.11
-32.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 R$3.87
$0.93 R$5.08
-23.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.93 R$10.52
$2.36 R$12.86
-18.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.66 R$36.23
$7.67 R$41.71
-13.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 R$7.76
$1.24 R$6.75
15.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 R$7.30
$2.36 R$12.81
-43.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.73 R$3.96
$0.73 R$3.96
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$29.76 R$162
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.38 R$2.08
$1.01 R$5.52
-62.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.39 R$2.10
$0.86 R$4.67
-54.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.77 R$31.40
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 R$6.12
$1.25 R$6.79
-9.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K R$111.5K
$22.0K R$119.4K
-6.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.5K R$160.3K
$31.9K R$173.3K
-7.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$75.0 R$408
$92.1 R$501
-18.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.20 R$82.7
$11.85 R$64.4
28.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.66 R$90.6
$20.93 R$114
-20.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.39 R$122
$30.47 R$166
-26.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$26.29 R$143
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.74 R$31.21
$7.46 R$40.61
-23.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$204 R$1,111
$764 R$4,158
-73.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,698 R$36.4K
$15.7K R$85.5K
-57.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.7 R$276
$52.6 R$286
-3.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$72.2 R$393
$42.10 R$229
71.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.0 R$484
$79.4 R$432
12.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$73.8 R$402
$83.6 R$455
-11.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$272 R$1,477
$517 R$2,813
-47.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$233 R$1,267
$242 R$1,314
-3.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$459 R$2,499
$1,156 R$6,290
-60.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$447 R$2,430
$580 R$3,153
-22.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,407 R$7,655
$2,398 R$13.0K
-41.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$659 R$3,584
$1,678 R$9,128
-60.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maceio - Alagoas
Brasilia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$552 R$3,005
$784 R$4,267
-29.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.17
12.12
-16.09%

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

Last update for Maceio - Alagoas: October 25, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Maceio - Alagoas
$233
Brasilia
$242 3.7% $8.6
Groceries & Markets
Maceio - Alagoas
$179
Brasilia
$201 12% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Maceio - Alagoas
$129
Brasilia
$116 9.8% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maceio - Alagoas
$107
Brasilia
$125 16.9% $18
Eating Out
Maceio - Alagoas
$103
Brasilia
$150 45.3% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Maceio - Alagoas
$34
Brasilia
$45 34.1% $12
Getting Around
Maceio - Alagoas
$5.2 *
Brasilia
$38 628% $33

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Maceio - Alagoas and $517 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 42% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $27 in Maceio - Alagoas vs $37 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $201 per month, with Maceio - Alagoas cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Maceio - Alagoas
🇧🇷 Brasilia
🕒 Local time
22:03 10:03 PM
22:03 10:03 PM
Same time as Maceio - Alagoas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,031,597
2,817,381 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 5.44 BRL (1 BRL = 0.184 USD). 1 EUR = 6.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.165 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Maceio - Alagoas Brasilia 1,480 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Maceio - Alagoas
  • 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
Maceio - Alagoas vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Maceio - Alagoas and in Brasilia?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $790 in Maceio - Alagoas and $916 in Brasilia, so Maceio - Alagoas is about 14% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Maceio - Alagoas. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Maceio - Alagoas and in Brasilia?
Rent for a central apartment: $272 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $517 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Maceio - Alagoas and Brasilia?
Childcare runs $204 in Maceio - Alagoas versus $764 in Brasilia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Maceio - Alagoas – a meal for two runs $27 versus $37 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Where should families live: Maceio - Alagoas or Brasilia?
For families, Maceio - Alagoas is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Brasilia, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
How do I decide between Maceio - Alagoas and Brasilia?
It comes down to priorities – Maceio - Alagoas wins on affordability, Brasilia on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Maceio - Alagoas vs other spots: cost of living compared

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