Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulo Afonso and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulo Afonso and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $838 in Paulo Afonso versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,340 in Paulo Afonso versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,842 in Paulo Afonso versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Paulo Afonso costs roughly 12% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Paulo Afonso 39% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 R$26.27

$8.61 R$44.15

-40.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.04 R$139

$39.06 R$200

-30.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 R$38.35

$8.00 R$40.99

-6.50%

Cappuccino

$1.95 R$10.01

$2.55 R$13.05

-23.53%

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

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.45 R$7.44

-9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.47

$0.96 R$4.94

-9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.29

$2.26 R$11.57

-19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 R$15.55

$3.89 R$19.94

-22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.14

$1.07 R$5.47

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.76

$2.04 R$10.45

-16.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.05

$1.26 R$6.45

-6.35%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$2.44 R$12.51

-0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 R$46.25

$12.06 R$61.8

-25.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.16 R$21.32

$4.06 R$20.82

2.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 R$41.40

$8.24 R$42.25

-1.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R$11.53

$2.34 R$12.01

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.19

$1.42 R$7.28

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.04

$1.27 R$6.52

-7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.59

$1.65 R$8.48

-10.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.80

$1.16 R$5.93

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.76

$1.01 R$5.18

-7.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.91

$0.83 R$4.26

-8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.98 R$5.00

-19.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 R$12.16

$2.39 R$12.22

-0.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 R$39.18

$7.99 R$40.95

-4.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.25

$1.30 R$6.67

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 R$10.79

$2.40 R$12.28

-12.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.92 R$4.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.00 R$241

$35.15 R$180

33.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.58

$1.05 R$5.39

3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R$4.92

$0.85 R$4.38

12.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 R$38.44

$5.97 R$30.58

25.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.28 R$6.56

-1.56%

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

$21.9K R$112.4K

$22.6K R$115.9K

-3.09%

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

$32.6K R$167.0K

$32.1K R$164.5K

1.56%

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

$71.7 R$367

$91.1 R$467

-21.31%

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

$11.10 R$56.9

$12.43 R$63.7

-10.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.60 R$106

$22.55 R$116

-8.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.33 R$130

$31.51 R$161

-19.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.57 R$141

$26.35 R$135

4.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 R$36.14

$7.86 R$40.26

-10.31%

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

$249 R$1,274

$813 R$4,168

-69.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,292 R$32.2K

$16.3K R$83.6K

-61.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 R$270

$52.2 R$268

0.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.45 R$248

$43.67 R$224

10.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 R$461

$82.7 R$424

8.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.0 R$359

$86.5 R$443

-18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 R$1,749

$500 R$2,564

-31.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 R$1,189

$266 R$1,364

-12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 R$3,349

$1,133 R$5,806

-42.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 R$2,324

$562 R$2,879

-19.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,801 R$9,231

$2,411 R$12.4K

-25.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,010 R$5,175

$1,705 R$8,738

-40.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 R$1,177

$876 R$4,489

-73.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

11.8

-5.76%

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

Last update for Paulo Afonso: August 31, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $341 in Paulo Afonso and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 281% 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: $27.00 in Paulo Afonso vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $209 per month, with Paulo Afonso 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

Paulo Afonso vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Paulo Afonso and Brasilia differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($838 vs $957 including rent). Paulo Afonso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 281% 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: $341 in Paulo Afonso versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Paulo Afonso – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $838 per month in Paulo Afonso versus $957 in Brasilia – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $838 in Paulo Afonso versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Paulo Afonso but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Paulo Afonso 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 Paulo Afonso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.