Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio Branco and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio Branco and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $809 in Rio Branco versus $969 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Rio Branco versus $1,551 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,742 in Rio Branco versus $2,132 in Brasilia.

Living in Rio Branco costs roughly 17% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio Branco 41% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 R$34.41

$8.92 R$45.75

-24.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.47 R$131

$38.80 R$199

-34.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 R$36.52

$8.49 R$43.54

-16.14%

Cappuccino

$2.85 R$14.59

$2.58 R$13.24

10.47%

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

$1.34 R$6.85

$1.41 R$7.22

-4.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.90 R$4.62

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R$9.89

$2.36 R$12.07

-18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 R$14.97

$3.87 R$19.83

-24.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.08 R$5.53

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.24

$2.03 R$10.43

-20.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.20

$1.28 R$6.58

-5.47%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.76

$2.43 R$12.45

-13.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 R$45.90

$11.81 R$60.6

-24.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.84

$4.11 R$21.09

-0.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.03 R$41.16

$8.48 R$43.47

-5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 R$11.45

$2.42 R$12.39

-7.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.67

$1.46 R$7.47

-10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.07

$1.28 R$6.55

-7.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.07

$1.65 R$8.45

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.94

$1.16 R$5.92

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.07 R$5.47

-3.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 R$4.23

$0.79 R$4.03

3.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 R$4.01

$0.95 R$4.85

-17.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.25

$2.40 R$12.29

-0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 R$40.15

$8.23 R$42.17

-4.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.42

$1.22 R$6.27

2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.42

$2.34 R$12.02

-13.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 R$3.43

$1.00 R$5.10

-33.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.03 R$221

$35.06 R$180

22.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.07 R$5.47

19.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 R$4.24

$0.92 R$4.73

-9.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.82 R$40.08

$6.05 R$30.99

29.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 R$6.82

$1.31 R$6.73

1.53%

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

$23.4K R$119.8K

$23.3K R$119.6K

0.15%

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

$32.2K R$165.0K

$31.9K R$163.6K

0.87%

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

$72.3 R$371

$96.4 R$494

-24.98%

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

$12.12 R$62.1

$12.61 R$64.6

-3.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.88 R$107

$21.81 R$112

-4.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.39 R$110

$31.07 R$159

-31.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.73 R$137

$27.00 R$138

-1.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 R$17.23

$7.68 R$39.38

-56.25%

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

$285 R$1,459

$822 R$4,214

-65.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,359 R$37.7K

$16.4K R$84.3K

-55.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 R$276

$51.7 R$265

4.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 R$247

$43.32 R$222

11.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 R$462

$83.3 R$427

8.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 R$364

$86.4 R$443

-17.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 R$1,730

$479 R$2,453

-29.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R$962

$258 R$1,322

-27.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 R$2,749

$1,116 R$5,719

-51.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 R$1,708

$557 R$2,855

-40.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,593 R$8,166

$2,457 R$12.6K

-35.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,568 R$8,039

$1,748 R$8,962

-10.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$255 R$1,307

$844 R$4,327

-69.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

12.12

-8.25%

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

Last update for Rio Branco: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Rio Branco and $479 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 231% 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: $25.00 in Rio Branco vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $209 per month, with Rio Branco 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

Rio Branco vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio Branco and Brasilia differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($809 vs $969 including rent). Rio Branco is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 231% 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: $337 in Rio Branco versus $479 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio Branco – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $809 per month in Rio Branco versus $969 in Brasilia – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $809 in Rio Branco versus $969 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rio Branco but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Rio Branco 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 Rio Branco 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.