Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Brazil Cost of Living Comparison Between South Africa and Brazil

Name: Brazil
Address: BR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,144 per month in South Africa vs $839 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,780 per month in South Africa vs $1,336 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,415 per month in South Africa vs $1,832 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in South Africa is about 36% higher than in Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both South Africa and Brazil are more affordable than the global median – South Africa 17% lower, Brazil 39% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in South Africa ($636–$1,831) than in Brazil ($584–$1,390), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.96 R 176

$6.47 R$32.98

69.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.98 R 707

$33.23 R$169

32.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 R 96.7

$7.84 R$39.94

-23.21%

Cappuccino

$2.46 R 39.47

$2.08 R$10.57

18.27%

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

$1.15 R 18.40

$1.19 R$6.06

-3.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.08

$0.77 R$3.91

22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 R 40.31

$1.92 R$9.75

30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 R 50.7

$2.84 R$14.44

10.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 R 20.17

$1.07 R$5.45

17.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 R 18.53

$1.70 R$8.63

-32.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.65

$1.23 R$6.26

44.72%

Eggs

$2.63 R 42.26

$2.17 R$11.05

21.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 R 133

$9.03 R$45.98

-7.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 R 85.7

$4.08 R$20.76

30.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 R 125

$8.27 R$42.13

-5.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 R 30.48

$2.22 R$11.33

-14.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.28

$1.38 R$7.05

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.61

$1.19 R$6.04

44.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 R 30.01

$1.57 R$7.98

19.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.47

$1.15 R$5.87

32.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.10

$1.05 R$5.36

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R 20.13

$0.84 R$4.27

48.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.70

$0.79 R$4.02

46.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 R 53.4

$2.38 R$12.14

39.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.18 R 83.2

$7.55 R$38.43

-31.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 R 25.04

$1.28 R$6.52

21.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 R 32.49

$2.39 R$12.20

-15.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 R 29.55

$0.94 R$4.81

95.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 985

$44.09 R$225

39.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.20

$1.26 R$6.42

-10.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R 14.39

$0.99 R$5.03

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 R 123

$7.75 R$39.46

-0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 23.19

$1.19 R$6.06

21.01%

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

$36.5K R 587.1K

$23.3K R$118.8K

56.71%

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

$32.1K R 515.2K

$31.8K R$162.2K

0.75%

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

$132 R 2,118

$79.9 R$407

65.06%

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

$35.05 R 563

$12.78 R$65.1

174.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.77 R 655

$20.61 R$105

97.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.05 R 547

$24.72 R$126

37.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.06 R 194

$25.94 R$132

-53.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 119

$6.74 R$34.33

10.39%

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

$232 R 3,727

$327 R$1,665

-29.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,509 R 88.5K

$8,584 R$43.7K

-35.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 R 867

$50.9 R$259

5.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.03 R 563

$46.69 R$238

-24.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 R 1,674

$87.1 R$444

19.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.0 R 1,430

$69.4 R$353

28.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 R 8,003

$380 R$1,937

31.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R 6,718

$239 R$1,217

74.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$991 R 15.9K

$724 R$3,690

36.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 R 13.3K

$483 R$2,458

72.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,136 R 18.3K

$1,825 R$9,297

-37.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$815 R 13.1K

$1,239 R$6,313

-34.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,548 R 24.9K

$519 R$2,641

198.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.23

11.16

0.63%

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

Last update for South Africa: August 30, 2026

Last update for Brazil: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $432 in South Africa vs $339 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $333 in Bloemfontein and $500 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $1,547 in South Africa vs $482 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 27% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 33% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 129% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 221% higher in South Africa, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Africa.

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

South Africa vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 25% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in South Africa, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but South Africa consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 25% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brazil, but in South Africa it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Brazil is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.