Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Caetano do Sul and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Caetano do Sul and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $907 in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $880 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,638 in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $1,446 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,369 in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $2,011 in Brasilia.

Living in Sao Caetano do Sul is roughly 3% more expensive than Brasilia, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Caetano do Sul 32% lower, Brasilia 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 R$34.85

$7.19 R$35.81

-2.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.85 R$159

$39.72 R$198

-19.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 R$34.37

$6.24 R$31.07

10.58%

Cappuccino

$1.74 R$8.66

$1.88 R$9.35

-7.45%

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

$1.21 R$6.01

$1.16 R$5.80

4.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 R$4.08

$0.87 R$4.36

-5.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.02

$1.82 R$9.08

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 R$14.13

$3.28 R$16.35

-13.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.10

$0.93 R$4.63

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 R$9.12

$1.62 R$8.07

12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.47

$1.41 R$7.01

-7.80%

Eggs

$2.28 R$11.33

$2.10 R$10.45

8.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 R$50.3

$9.29 R$46.27

8.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 R$21.85

$3.31 R$16.48

32.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 R$42.03

$6.85 R$34.12

23.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 R$10.40

$2.00 R$9.96

4.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.29

$1.34 R$6.69

23.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.34

$1.22 R$6.05

20.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R$8.56

$1.67 R$8.33

2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 R$6.97

$1.23 R$6.11

13.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.50

$1.30 R$6.48

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 R$4.73

$0.74 R$3.70

28.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.38

$0.61 R$3.06

11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 R$11.45

$2.18 R$10.85

5.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$40.22

$10.10 R$50.3

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.81

$1.11 R$5.54

23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.73

$2.35 R$11.72

0.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.40

$1.03 R$5.11

-14.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.15 R$190

$43.64 R$217

-12.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R$5.68

$0.94 R$4.70

21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R$2.90

$0.79 R$3.93

-26.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.85 R$39.10

$5.82 R$28.97

34.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.26

$1.14 R$5.66

-7.02%

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

$21.5K R$106.8K

$25.4K R$126.4K

-15.43%

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

$28.4K R$141.3K

$28.2K R$140.6K

0.51%

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

$54.4 R$271

$69.9 R$348

-22.21%

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

$13.34 R$66.5

$13.04 R$64.9

2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.15 R$110

$20.00 R$99.6

10.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.16 R$240

$24.95 R$124

93.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.19 R$230

$21.77 R$108

112.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 R$36.22

$7.00 R$34.84

3.86%

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

$330 R$1,645

$488 R$2,430

-32.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,710 R$43.4K

$15.0K R$74.5K

-41.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 R$254

$58.1 R$289

-12.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 R$209

$41.98 R$209

-0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 R$388

$69.1 R$344

12.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 R$388

$64.0 R$319

21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,615

$402 R$2,003

-19.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 R$1,387

$263 R$1,309

5.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 R$3,185

$978 R$4,871

-34.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 R$4,519

$564 R$2,808

60.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,369

$2,751 R$13.7K

-38.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 R$5,968

$1,816 R$9,042

-34.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$961 R$4,784

$762 R$3,794

26.11%

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 Sao Caetano do Sul: April 28, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $324 in Sao Caetano do Sul and $402 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Caetano do Sul pays 26% 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 Sao Caetano do Sul vs $40.00 in Brasilia. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 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

Sao Caetano do Sul vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Caetano do Sul and Brasilia differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $880 including rent). Brasilia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sao Caetano do Sul pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $324 in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $402 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasilia – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $32.00 in Sao Caetano do Sul. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $907 per month in Sao Caetano do Sul versus $880 in Brasilia – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Brasilia 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 Brasilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Sao Caetano do Sul. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.