Cost of Living Comparison Between Nova Friburgo and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Nova Friburgo and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $584 in Nova Friburgo versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $982 in Nova Friburgo versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,379 in Nova Friburgo versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Nova Friburgo costs roughly 39% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nova Friburgo 58% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 R$30.21

$8.61 R$43.93

-31.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.69 R$146

$39.06 R$199

-26.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 R$32.44

$8.00 R$40.79

-20.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 R$8.40

$2.55 R$12.98

-35.29%

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

$0.91 R$4.63

$1.45 R$7.40

-37.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 R$2.62

$0.96 R$4.92

-46.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 R$6.07

$2.26 R$11.52

-47.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 R$11.66

$3.89 R$19.85

-41.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.75

$1.07 R$5.45

-13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 R$7.45

$2.04 R$10.40

-28.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.71

$1.26 R$6.42

4.76%

Eggs

$1.88 R$9.58

$2.44 R$12.45

-22.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 R$45.51

$12.06 R$61.5

-26.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 R$16.68

$4.06 R$20.72

-19.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 R$48.83

$8.24 R$42.05

16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.01

$2.34 R$11.96

-32.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.64

$1.42 R$7.24

-21.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 R$4.82

$1.27 R$6.49

-25.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.35

$1.65 R$8.44

-24.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 R$3.44

$1.16 R$5.90

-42.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 R$4.02

$1.01 R$5.15

-21.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 R$2.76

$0.83 R$4.23

-34.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 R$4.02

$0.98 R$4.98

-19.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.53 R$7.79

$2.39 R$12.16

-35.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 R$29.17

$7.99 R$40.75

-28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R$4.79

$1.30 R$6.64

-27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.74

$2.40 R$12.22

-45.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$5.01

$0.92 R$4.67

6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$179

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R$5.79

$1.05 R$5.36

8.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 R$2.51

$0.85 R$4.35

-42.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 R$33.67

$5.97 R$30.43

10.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R$6.24

$1.28 R$6.53

-4.69%

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

$18.6K R$95.1K

$22.6K R$115.4K

-17.57%

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

$30.4K R$154.8K

$32.1K R$163.7K

-5.41%

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

$39.23 R$200

$91.1 R$464

-56.91%

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

$9.23 R$47.05

$12.43 R$63.4

-25.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.43 R$94.0

$22.55 R$115

-18.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.40 R$109

$31.51 R$161

-32.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$134

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.32

$7.86 R$40.06

-19.34%

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

$140 R$714

$813 R$4,147

-82.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,496 R$12.7K

$16.3K R$83.2K

-84.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 R$350

$52.2 R$266

31.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.1 R$414

$43.67 R$223

85.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.1 R$327

$82.7 R$422

-22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.53 R$232

$86.5 R$441

-47.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$156 R$795

$500 R$2,551

-68.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.6 R$493

$266 R$1,357

-63.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 R$1,990

$1,133 R$5,778

-65.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 R$1,163

$562 R$2,865

-59.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,523 R$7,766

$2,411 R$12.3K

-36.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$770 R$3,929

$1,705 R$8,695

-54.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$488 R$2,487

$876 R$4,467

-44.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

11.8

-9.58%

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

Last update for Nova Friburgo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $156 in Nova Friburgo and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 80% 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: $29.00 in Nova Friburgo vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $209 per month, with Nova Friburgo 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

Nova Friburgo vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nova Friburgo and Brasilia differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($584 vs $957 including rent). Nova Friburgo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Brasilia. 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: $156 in Nova Friburgo versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $140 in Nova Friburgo versus $813 in Brasilia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nova Friburgo – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $584 in Nova Friburgo versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nova Friburgo but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Friburgo 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.

Expats usually find Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.