Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Andre and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Santo Andre and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $949 in Santo Andre versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Santo Andre versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,196 in Santo Andre versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Santo Andre costs roughly 1% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Andre 31% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 R$44.34

$8.61 R$43.93

1.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.67 R$248

$39.06 R$199

24.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 R$41.26

$8.00 R$40.79

1.12%

Cappuccino

$2.47 R$12.60

$2.55 R$12.98

-3.14%

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

$1.36 R$6.91

$1.45 R$7.40

-6.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.60

$0.96 R$4.92

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 R$11.64

$2.26 R$11.52

0.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 R$18.97

$3.89 R$19.85

-4.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.44

$1.07 R$5.45

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 R$9.58

$2.04 R$10.40

-7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.85

$1.26 R$6.42

6.35%

Eggs

$2.65 R$13.54

$2.44 R$12.45

8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 R$57.1

$12.06 R$61.5

-7.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.70 R$23.99

$4.06 R$20.72

15.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 R$52.8

$8.24 R$42.05

25.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.81

$2.34 R$11.96

-0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.21

$1.42 R$7.24

27.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R$7.82

$1.27 R$6.49

20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.15

$1.65 R$8.44

-3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.56

$1.16 R$5.90

11.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.15

$1.01 R$5.15

19.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 R$4.60

$0.83 R$4.23

8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.08

$0.98 R$4.98

-18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 R$12.64

$2.39 R$12.16

3.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 R$39.19

$7.99 R$40.75

-3.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R$7.72

$1.30 R$6.64

16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$12.79

$2.40 R$12.22

4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.83

$0.92 R$4.67

3.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.49 R$135

$35.15 R$179

-24.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.05

$1.05 R$5.36

13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 R$5.10

$0.85 R$4.35

17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 R$42.16

$5.97 R$30.43

38.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R$6.38

$1.28 R$6.53

-2.34%

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

$22.8K R$116.2K

$22.6K R$115.4K

0.72%

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

$31.0K R$157.9K

$32.1K R$163.7K

-3.51%

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

$64.3 R$328

$91.1 R$464

-29.43%

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

$15.46 R$78.8

$12.43 R$63.4

24.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.44 R$109

$22.55 R$115

-4.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.40 R$124

$31.51 R$161

-22.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.15 R$138

$26.35 R$134

3.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 R$40.38

$7.86 R$40.06

0.76%

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

$484 R$2,466

$813 R$4,147

-40.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K R$78.4K

$16.3K R$83.2K

-5.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 R$308

$52.2 R$266

15.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.8 R$285

$43.67 R$223

27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 R$468

$82.7 R$422

10.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 R$417

$86.5 R$441

-5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 R$2,026

$500 R$2,551

-20.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 R$1,452

$266 R$1,357

6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 R$3,323

$1,133 R$5,778

-42.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 R$2,626

$562 R$2,865

-8.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,634 R$8,334

$2,411 R$12.3K

-32.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 R$5,797

$1,705 R$8,695

-33.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$537 R$2,738

$876 R$4,467

-38.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.81

11.8

-8.39%

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

Last update for Santo Andre: August 29, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $397 in Santo Andre and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 63% 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: $49.00 in Santo Andre vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $209 per month, with Brasilia 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

Santo Andre vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santo Andre and Brasilia differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($949 vs $957 including rent). Santo Andre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 63% 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: $397 in Santo Andre versus $500 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santo Andre – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $949 per month in Santo Andre versus $957 in Brasilia – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $949 in Santo Andre versus $957 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santo Andre but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Santo Andre 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 Santo Andre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.