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: $757 in Santo Andre versus $862 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,239 in Santo Andre versus $1,428 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,721 in Santo Andre versus $1,993 in Brasilia.

Living in Santo Andre costs roughly 12% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santo Andre 43% lower, Brasilia 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.13

$7.02 R$35.12

5.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.87 R$160

$38.86 R$194

-17.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 R$33.31

$6.32 R$31.64

5.38%

Cappuccino

$1.75 R$8.74

$1.96 R$9.80

-10.71%

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

$1.19 R$5.95

$1.18 R$5.89

0.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.17

$0.86 R$4.30

-3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 R$10.55

$1.85 R$9.28

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 R$14.20

$3.18 R$15.89

-10.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.20

$0.99 R$4.98

5.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.86

$1.60 R$7.99

10.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.83

$1.41 R$7.06

-3.55%

Eggs

$2.37 R$11.85

$2.04 R$10.19

16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 R$50.8

$9.45 R$47.31

7.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 R$20.22

$3.40 R$17.01

18.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 R$41.28

$7.04 R$35.21

17.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 R$10.95

$1.96 R$9.82

11.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.31

$1.40 R$7.02

18.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.25

$1.20 R$6.02

20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.41

$1.66 R$8.29

1.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.17

$1.24 R$6.20

15.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.28

$1.31 R$6.53

-3.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 R$4.92

$0.81 R$4.03

20.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.40

$0.63 R$3.15

7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 R$9.06

$2.13 R$10.66

-15.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.92 R$19.59

$9.02 R$45.16

-56.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.85

$1.10 R$5.53

24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.43

$2.39 R$11.95

-4.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R$4.44

$1.03 R$5.15

-13.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.90 R$195

$44.41 R$222

-12.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.54

$0.94 R$4.72

18.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.73

$0.81 R$4.03

-8.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 R$39.05

$5.57 R$27.88

40.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.11

$1.12 R$5.61

-8.93%

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

$21.9K R$109.6K

$25.0K R$125.2K

-12.46%

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

$28.2K R$141.1K

$29.1K R$145.7K

-3.16%

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

$55.3 R$277

$72.2 R$361

-23.49%

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

$13.13 R$65.7

$13.08 R$65.5

0.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.98 R$100

$20.40 R$102

-2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.80 R$119

$24.97 R$125

-4.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.21 R$96.1

$21.29 R$107

-9.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.38 R$36.95

$7.08 R$35.42

4.24%

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

$328 R$1,642

$488 R$2,444

-32.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,692 R$43.5K

$15.0K R$75.0K

-42.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 R$260

$58.3 R$292

-10.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 R$233

$41.97 R$210

10.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 R$379

$69.8 R$349

8.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 R$371

$65.2 R$327

13.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 R$1,213

$408 R$2,040

-40.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 R$831

$260 R$1,302

-36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 R$2,366

$949 R$4,747

-50.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,585

$562 R$2,811

-43.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,621 R$8,110

$2,540 R$12.7K

-36.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 R$6,167

$1,714 R$8,576

-28.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 R$3,113

$846 R$4,235

-26.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.17

11.87

-5.90%

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

Last update for Santo Andre: May 30, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Santo Andre 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: $32.00 in Santo Andre vs $39.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $192 vs $183, 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

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

Santo Andre and Brasilia differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($757 vs $862 including rent). Santo Andre 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: $242 in Santo Andre versus $408 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 $32.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $757 per month in Santo Andre versus $862 in Brasilia – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Santo Andre 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 Santo Andre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.