Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmas and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmas and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $814 in Palmas versus $974 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,276 in Palmas versus $1,587 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,738 in Palmas versus $2,201 in Brasilia.

Living in Palmas costs roughly 16% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Palmas 41% lower, Brasilia 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 R$19.64

$8.71 R$44.90

-56.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.83 R$102

$38.13 R$196

-47.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 R$39.13

$8.12 R$41.84

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$1.41 R$7.27

$2.57 R$13.22

-45.14%

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

$1.84 R$9.46

$1.44 R$7.40

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 R$5.87

$0.97 R$4.97

17.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 R$6.83

$2.31 R$11.89

-42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 R$15.13

$3.78 R$19.47

-22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.62

$1.07 R$5.53

1.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 R$7.35

$2.09 R$10.77

-31.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 R$14.71

$1.32 R$6.80

115.91%

Eggs

$2.61 R$13.46

$2.44 R$12.58

6.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 R$35.53

$11.71 R$60.3

-41.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 R$16.35

$4.07 R$20.95

-22.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 R$31.40

$8.48 R$43.66

-28.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 R$11.39

$2.40 R$12.35

-7.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.42

$1.43 R$7.35

13.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.25

$1.31 R$6.76

-7.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.96

$1.61 R$8.30

-27.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 R$6.02

$1.21 R$6.24

-3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.61

$1.05 R$5.41

3.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.11

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$3.90

$1.00 R$5.13

-24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 R$11.88

$2.39 R$12.33

-3.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 R$34.49

$8.11 R$41.77

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 R$6.20

$1.29 R$6.64

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 R$10.49

$2.34 R$12.05

-12.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 R$3.72

$1.04 R$5.38

-30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.19 R$223

$34.90 R$180

23.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R$7.06

$1.03 R$5.29

33.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.87

$0.92 R$4.75

-18.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.90 R$35.53

$6.35 R$32.71

8.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.29 R$6.67

-5.43%

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

$23.8K R$122.9K

$23.3K R$120.2K

2.21%

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

$32.4K R$166.7K

$32.6K R$167.8K

-0.68%

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

$112 R$577

$95.0 R$489

17.90%

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

$11.45 R$59.0

$12.28 R$63.3

-6.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.03 R$98.0

$22.41 R$115

-15.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.92 R$118

$31.39 R$162

-26.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.23 R$140

$26.96 R$139

1.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$32.86

$7.85 R$40.43

-18.73%

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

$152 R$782

$811 R$4,177

-81.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,233 R$37.3K

$16.5K R$85.1K

-56.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.28 R$182

$51.8 R$267

-31.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 R$281

$43.78 R$226

24.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R$563

$83.1 R$428

31.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 R$362

$85.6 R$441

-17.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 R$1,515

$480 R$2,474

-38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 R$1,010

$262 R$1,348

-25.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 R$3,154

$1,110 R$5,718

-44.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 R$2,111

$556 R$2,865

-26.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,578 R$8,128

$2,497 R$12.9K

-36.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,302 R$6,705

$1,707 R$8,794

-23.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,169

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.06

12.12

-8.75%

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

Last update for Palmas: September 14, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $294 in Palmas and $480 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Palmas vs $38.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $210 per month, with Palmas 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

Palmas vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palmas and Brasilia differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($814 vs $974 including rent). Palmas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,220 in Palmas and $1,461 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: $294 in Palmas versus $480 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Palmas – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $814 per month in Palmas versus $974 in Brasilia – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $814 in Palmas versus $974 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Palmas but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Palmas 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 Palmas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.