Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Maria and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Maria and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $676 in Santa Maria versus $862 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,082 in Santa Maria versus $1,428 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,488 in Santa Maria versus $1,993 in Brasilia.

Living in Santa Maria costs roughly 22% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Maria 50% lower, Brasilia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 R$22.32

$7.02 R$35.50

-37.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.70 R$135

$38.86 R$197

-31.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 R$32.32

$6.32 R$31.99

1.11%

Cappuccino

$1.36 R$6.88

$1.96 R$9.91

-30.61%

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

$0.94 R$4.78

$1.18 R$5.96

-20.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 R$2.99

$0.86 R$4.35

-31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 R$7.35

$1.85 R$9.38

-21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 R$17.97

$3.18 R$16.07

11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 R$4.21

$0.99 R$5.03

-16.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 R$6.97

$1.60 R$8.08

-13.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.35

$1.41 R$7.14

-24.82%

Eggs

$1.50 R$7.60

$2.04 R$10.30

-26.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 R$42.85

$9.45 R$47.83

-10.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 R$18.14

$3.40 R$17.19

5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.62 R$38.53

$7.04 R$35.60

8.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 R$10.51

$1.96 R$9.92

6.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.37

$1.40 R$7.10

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.65

$1.20 R$6.08

9.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.43

$1.66 R$8.38

-11.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.53

$1.24 R$6.27

-12.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.45

$1.31 R$6.60

-17.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.87

$0.81 R$4.08

-4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.12

$0.63 R$3.19

-1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.89

$2.13 R$10.78

-8.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 R$39.15

$9.02 R$45.65

-14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 R$5.11

$1.10 R$5.59

-8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 R$9.59

$2.39 R$12.08

-20.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.74

$1.03 R$5.21

-8.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.77 R$135

$44.41 R$225

-39.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 R$8.02

$0.94 R$4.77

68.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 R$5.26

$0.81 R$4.07

28.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 R$26.71

$5.57 R$28.19

-5.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.02

$1.12 R$5.68

-11.61%

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

$23.1K R$116.9K

$25.0K R$126.5K

-7.58%

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

$27.1K R$137.1K

$29.1K R$147.3K

-6.94%

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

$48.41 R$245

$72.2 R$365

-32.98%

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

$14.90 R$75.4

$13.08 R$66.2

13.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.45 R$83.2

$20.40 R$103

-19.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.75 R$110

$24.97 R$126

-12.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.02 R$55.7

$21.29 R$108

-48.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.15 R$26.03

$7.08 R$35.81

-27.26%

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

$142 R$716

$488 R$2,471

-71.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,668 R$13.5K

$15.0K R$75.8K

-82.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.06 R$248

$58.3 R$295

-15.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.92 R$197

$41.97 R$212

-7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 R$411

$69.8 R$353

16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 R$288

$65.2 R$330

-12.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 R$1,379

$408 R$2,062

-33.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 R$788

$260 R$1,317

-40.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 R$2,901

$949 R$4,799

-39.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 R$1,687

$562 R$2,842

-40.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,954 R$9,884

$2,540 R$12.9K

-23.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$683 R$3,455

$1,714 R$8,671

-60.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$623 R$3,154

$846 R$4,281

-26.33%

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 Maria: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $272 in Santa Maria and $408 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 36% 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 Santa Maria vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $183 per month, with Santa Maria 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 Maria vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Maria and Brasilia differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($676 vs $862 including rent). Santa Maria is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Brasilia earns 36% 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: $272 in Santa Maria versus $408 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Maria – 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 $676 per month in Santa Maria versus $862 in Brasilia – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Santa Maria gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Maria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.