Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz do Sul and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz do Sul and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $854 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $870 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $1,408 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,870 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $1,946 in Brasilia.

Living in Santa Cruz do Sul costs roughly 2% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Cruz do Sul 36% lower, Brasilia 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 R$21.84

$7.18 R$35.71

-38.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.57 R$132

$39.91 R$198

-33.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 R$22.78

$6.46 R$32.11

-29.10%

Cappuccino

$1.61 R$7.98

$1.93 R$9.58

-16.58%

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

$1.16 R$5.79

$1.21 R$5.99

-4.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.84

$0.82 R$4.07

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 R$10.42

$1.81 R$9.02

16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 R$13.04

$3.32 R$16.51

-21.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 R$4.45

$1.01 R$5.04

-11.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 R$6.97

$1.62 R$8.04

-13.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.21

$1.44 R$7.16

-27.08%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.90 R$54.2

$9.01 R$44.76

20.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 R$22.02

$3.33 R$16.53

33.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.39 R$46.69

$6.66 R$33.09

40.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 R$9.85

$2.01 R$9.96

-1.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.53

$1.36 R$6.74

-3.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.61

$1.16 R$5.79

14.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 R$7.43

$1.62 R$8.03

-7.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.63

$1.24 R$6.16

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.08

$1.29 R$6.41

-20.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.80

$0.74 R$3.69

4.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.10

$0.62 R$3.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.80

$2.11 R$10.49

-6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 R$40.84

$10.00 R$49.69

-17.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.04

$1.06 R$5.26

-3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 R$9.21

$2.36 R$11.74

-21.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.39

$0.95 R$4.72

-7.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.62 R$192

$43.46 R$216

-11.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 R$8.28

$1.00 R$4.98

67.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R$5.03

$0.76 R$3.76

32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 R$27.28

$5.69 R$28.27

-3.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.30

$1.13 R$5.60

-5.31%

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

$24.2K R$120.1K

$25.4K R$126.4K

-4.99%

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

$27.4K R$136.2K

$29.1K R$144.5K

-5.72%

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

$61.2 R$304

$71.6 R$356

-14.55%

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

$14.81 R$73.6

$13.41 R$66.7

10.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.85 R$98.7

$20.52 R$102

-3.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.73 R$113

$25.34 R$126

-10.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.61 R$107

$21.88 R$109

-1.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 R$31.22

$7.14 R$35.50

-12.04%

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

$312 R$1,551

$483 R$2,402

-35.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,233 R$35.9K

$15.3K R$76.1K

-52.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.81 R$243

$58.6 R$291

-16.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.2 R$279

$41.60 R$207

35.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 R$402

$68.1 R$339

18.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.0 R$313

$65.0 R$323

-2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 R$2,464

$407 R$2,021

21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 R$1,411

$254 R$1,262

11.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 R$4,296

$965 R$4,795

-10.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 R$2,813

$561 R$2,787

0.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 R$13.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,795 R$8,923

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$403 R$2,002

$760 R$3,779

-47.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

-15.75%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: April 20, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Santa Cruz do Sul and $407 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 89% 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 in Santa Cruz do Sul vs $40 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $182, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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

Santa Cruz do Sul vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz do Sul and Brasilia differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($854 vs $870 including rent). Santa Cruz do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brasilia earns 89% less. 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: $496 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $407 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $854 per month in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $870 in Brasilia – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $854 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $870 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz do Sul but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz do Sul 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 Santa Cruz do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.