Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulista and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulista and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $754 in Paulista versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,173 in Paulista versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,593 in Paulista versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Paulista costs roughly 21% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Paulista 45% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 R$33.53

$8.61 R$43.87

-23.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.24 R$77.6

$39.06 R$199

-60.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 R$40.35

$8.00 R$40.74

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$1.48 R$7.55

$2.55 R$12.96

-41.96%

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

$1.02 R$5.21

$1.45 R$7.39

-29.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 R$1.93

$0.96 R$4.91

-60.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 R$9.60

$2.26 R$11.50

-16.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 R$17.26

$3.89 R$19.82

-12.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 R$4.95

$1.07 R$5.44

-9.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 R$8.63

$2.04 R$10.39

-17.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.72

$1.26 R$6.41

-26.19%

Eggs

$2.09 R$10.64

$2.44 R$12.44

-14.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.76 R$14.08

$12.06 R$61.4

-77.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 R$15.14

$4.06 R$20.69

-26.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.50 R$28.00

$8.24 R$41.99

-33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 R$9.97

$2.34 R$11.94

-16.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 R$5.00

$1.42 R$7.24

-30.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 R$4.07

$1.27 R$6.48

-37.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.51

$1.65 R$8.42

-34.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.74

$1.16 R$5.89

13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 R$3.77

$1.01 R$5.15

-26.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 R$1.89

$0.83 R$4.23

-55.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R$4.47

$0.98 R$4.97

-10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.14 R$10.87

$2.39 R$12.15

-10.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.73 R$18.98

$7.99 R$40.70

-53.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 R$7.90

$1.30 R$6.63

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.22

$2.40 R$12.20

32.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.86

$0.92 R$4.66

3.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.50 R$222

$35.15 R$179

23.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 R$9.62

$1.05 R$5.36

80.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 R$5.77

$0.85 R$4.35

32.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 R$16.01

$5.97 R$30.39

-47.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.28 R$6.52

-16.41%

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

$13.5K R$68.9K

$22.6K R$115.2K

-40.24%

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

$29.4K R$149.8K

$32.1K R$163.5K

-8.34%

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

$44.56 R$227

$91.1 R$464

-51.06%

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

$22.59 R$115

$12.43 R$63.3

81.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.81 R$116

$22.55 R$115

1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.81 R$126

$31.51 R$160

-21.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.10 R$138

$26.35 R$134

2.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 R$29.90

$7.86 R$40.01

-25.32%

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

$68.3 R$348

$813 R$4,142

-91.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,376 R$32.5K

$16.3K R$83.1K

-60.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.17 R$87.5

$52.2 R$266

-67.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.3 R$327

$43.67 R$222

47.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.15 R$245

$82.7 R$421

-41.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 R$293

$86.5 R$440

-33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 R$1,724

$500 R$2,548

-32.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 R$1,162

$266 R$1,355

-14.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 R$3,207

$1,133 R$5,770

-44.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 R$2,297

$562 R$2,861

-19.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,833 R$9,336

$2,411 R$12.3K

-23.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,073 R$5,463

$1,705 R$8,684

-37.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 R$4,461

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

-6.78%

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

Last update for Paulista: August 30, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $338 in Paulista and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15.00 in Paulista vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $142 vs $209 per month, with Paulista 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

Paulista vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paulista and Brasilia differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($754 vs $957 including rent). Paulista is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,131 in Paulista and $1,435 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: $338 in Paulista versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Paulista – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $754 per month in Paulista versus $957 in Brasilia – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $754 in Paulista versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Paulista but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Paulista 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 Paulista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.