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: $875 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,983 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Santa Cruz do Sul costs roughly 9% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Cruz do Sul 36% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 R$27.38

$8.61 R$44.14

-37.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.98 R$195

$39.06 R$200

-2.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 R$24.62

$8.00 R$40.98

-39.88%

Cappuccino

$1.70 R$8.71

$2.55 R$13.04

-33.33%

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

$1.41 R$7.21

$1.45 R$7.44

-2.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 R$4.55

$0.96 R$4.94

-7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 R$12.14

$2.26 R$11.57

4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 R$14.47

$3.89 R$19.94

-27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.26

$1.07 R$5.47

-3.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.21

$2.04 R$10.45

-21.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.69

$1.26 R$6.45

-11.90%

Eggs

$2.51 R$12.85

$2.44 R$12.51

2.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.05 R$51.5

$12.06 R$61.8

-16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 R$23.32

$4.06 R$20.81

12.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.64 R$49.37

$8.24 R$42.24

16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 R$12.02

$2.34 R$12.01

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.06

$1.42 R$7.28

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 R$7.01

$1.27 R$6.52

7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$1.65 R$8.48

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 R$6.00

$1.16 R$5.93

0.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.60

$1.01 R$5.18

7.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 R$4.47

$0.83 R$4.25

4.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.38

$0.98 R$5.00

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 R$12.67

$2.39 R$12.22

3.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.77 R$39.81

$7.99 R$40.95

-2.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 R$5.56

$1.30 R$6.67

-16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 R$10.74

$2.40 R$12.28

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.75

$0.92 R$4.69

1.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.15 R$180

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 R$6.47

$1.05 R$5.39

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.30

$0.85 R$4.37

-1.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 R$41.34

$5.97 R$30.57

35.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R$6.42

$1.28 R$6.56

-2.34%

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

$22.7K R$116.5K

$22.6K R$115.9K

0.51%

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

$33.0K R$169.1K

$32.1K R$164.4K

2.83%

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

$71.3 R$365

$91.1 R$467

-21.75%

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

$12.00 R$61.5

$12.43 R$63.7

-3.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.15 R$108

$22.55 R$116

-6.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.87 R$138

$31.51 R$161

-14.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 R$135

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$36.22

$7.86 R$40.25

-10.05%

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

$551 R$2,821

$813 R$4,167

-32.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.6K R$131.2K

$16.3K R$83.6K

56.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.96 R$251

$52.2 R$268

-6.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 R$286

$43.67 R$224

27.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R$515

$82.7 R$424

21.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 R$388

$86.5 R$443

-12.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$530 R$2,716

$500 R$2,563

5.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$303 R$1,555

$266 R$1,364

14.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$912 R$4,674

$1,133 R$5,805

-19.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 R$3,111

$562 R$2,878

8.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 R$12.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,705 R$8,736

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$393 R$2,013

$876 R$4,488

-55.14%

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 Santa Cruz do Sul: September 1, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $530 in Santa Cruz do Sul and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 123% 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: $38.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $209 per month, with Santa Cruz do Sul 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

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

Santa Cruz do Sul and Brasilia differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($875 vs $957 including rent). Santa Cruz do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 123% 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: $530 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $551 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $813 in Brasilia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $875 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $957 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 9% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.