Cost of Living Comparison Between Pelotas and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Pelotas and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $733 in Pelotas versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,137 in Pelotas versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,541 in Pelotas versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Pelotas costs roughly 23% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pelotas 47% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 R$29.70

$8.61 R$43.93

-32.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.14 R$87.4

$39.06 R$199

-56.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 R$33.54

$8.00 R$40.79

-17.75%

Cappuccino

$2.61 R$13.33

$2.55 R$12.98

2.35%

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

$1.31 R$6.70

$1.45 R$7.40

-9.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 R$3.56

$0.96 R$4.92

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 R$7.18

$2.26 R$11.52

-37.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 R$7.77

$3.89 R$19.85

-60.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.74

$1.07 R$5.45

-13.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 R$5.82

$2.04 R$10.40

-44.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 R$4.29

$1.26 R$6.42

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.17 R$11.06

$2.44 R$12.45

-11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.48 R$48.35

$12.06 R$61.5

-21.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.44 R$22.63

$4.06 R$20.72

9.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.27 R$47.26

$8.24 R$42.05

12.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.88

$2.34 R$11.96

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.77

$1.42 R$7.24

-20.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.11

$1.27 R$6.49

9.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.06

$1.65 R$8.44

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.96

$1.16 R$5.90

0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.04

$1.01 R$5.15

-1.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.22

$0.83 R$4.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 R$2.55

$0.98 R$4.98

-48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 R$11.87

$2.39 R$12.16

-2.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.20 R$36.72

$7.99 R$40.75

-9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.35

$1.30 R$6.64

-49.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R$4.72

$2.40 R$12.22

-61.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 R$6.08

$0.92 R$4.67

29.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.1 R$260

$35.15 R$179

45.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.20

$1.05 R$5.36

16.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R$3.92

$0.85 R$4.35

-9.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 R$40.40

$5.97 R$30.43

32.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R$6.37

$1.28 R$6.53

-2.34%

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

$23.3K R$118.7K

$22.6K R$115.4K

2.90%

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

$32.3K R$164.8K

$32.1K R$163.7K

0.71%

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

$71.7 R$365

$91.1 R$464

-21.30%

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

$7.32 R$37.35

$12.43 R$63.4

-41.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.47 R$99.3

$22.55 R$115

-13.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.32 R$98.5

$31.51 R$161

-38.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.91 R$96.5

$26.35 R$134

-28.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 R$23.80

$7.86 R$40.06

-40.59%

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

$535 R$2,726

$813 R$4,147

-34.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K R$130.5K

$16.3K R$83.2K

56.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.29 R$175

$52.2 R$266

-34.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.94 R$148

$43.67 R$223

-33.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 R$300

$82.7 R$422

-28.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 R$383

$86.5 R$441

-13.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 R$1,145

$500 R$2,551

-55.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 R$831

$266 R$1,357

-38.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 R$1,928

$1,133 R$5,778

-66.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 R$1,567

$562 R$2,865

-45.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,503 R$7,664

$2,411 R$12.3K

-37.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 R$3,881

$1,705 R$8,695

-55.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 R$2,171

$876 R$4,467

-51.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.8

-2.54%

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

Last update for Pelotas: August 29, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Pelotas and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 106% 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: $17.00 in Pelotas vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $209 per month, with Pelotas 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

Pelotas vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pelotas and Brasilia differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($733 vs $957 including rent). Pelotas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 106% 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: $224 in Pelotas versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pelotas – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $733 per month in Pelotas versus $957 in Brasilia – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $733 in Pelotas versus $957 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pelotas but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Pelotas 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 Pelotas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.