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 $1,020 per month in South Africa vs $765 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,598 per month in South Africa vs $1,223 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,175 per month in South Africa vs $1,681 in Brazil, rent included.

South Africa costs about 33% more than 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 24% lower, Brazil 43% lower.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: South Africa spans $819–$1,339, Brazil spans $574–$1,056. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 R 147

$5.34 R$26.73

69.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.48 R 642

$28.68 R$144

37.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 R 80.3

$6.33 R$31.68

-21.96%

Cappuccino

$2.06 R 33.47

$1.77 R$8.84

16.38%

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

$0.95 R 15.40

$1.08 R$5.40

-12.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 R 13.13

$0.66 R$3.28

22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R 35.90

$1.81 R$9.08

22.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R 40.33

$2.76 R$13.79

-10.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 18.07

$0.93 R$4.67

19.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 R 16.64

$1.47 R$7.36

-30.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.28

$1.18 R$5.89

32.20%

Eggs

$2.34 R 38.05

$2.05 R$10.26

14.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 R 126

$8.34 R$41.75

-7.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 R 73.1

$3.77 R$18.88

19.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.73 R 109

$7.26 R$36.34

-7.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.56 R 25.40

$2.07 R$10.38

-24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.22

$1.27 R$6.36

12.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.48

$1.13 R$5.64

27.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R 24.55

$1.45 R$7.25

4.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R 19.81

$1.13 R$5.67

7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 R 20.74

$1.11 R$5.54

15.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 R 16.89

$0.72 R$3.60

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.21

$0.69 R$3.43

36.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R 48.55

$2.15 R$10.74

39.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 R 83.8

$8.09 R$40.47

-36.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R 22.55

$1.17 R$5.86

18.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R 26.93

$2.13 R$10.66

-22.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.63 R 26.48

$0.86 R$4.31

89.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.05 R 732

$40.93 R$205

10.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.41

$1.06 R$5.29

6.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 R 17.93

$0.90 R$4.48

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 R 78.9

$7.33 R$36.68

-33.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R 20.15

$1.04 R$5.20

19.23%

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

$20.3K R 330.2K

$21.3K R$106.5K

-4.52%

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

$23.5K R 381.4K

$27.5K R$137.6K

-14.66%

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

$113 R 1,843

$68.1 R$341

66.69%

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

$32.36 R 526

$14.08 R$70.4

129.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.45 R 674

$19.45 R$97.3

113.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.59 R 513

$23.15 R$116

36.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.61 R 156

$22.55 R$113

-57.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 R 111

$6.36 R$31.84

7.39%

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

$187 R 3,039

$289 R$1,445

-35.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,362 R 70.9K

$7,444 R$37.3K

-41.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.50 R 804

$49.66 R$249

-0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.42 R 494

$41.98 R$210

-27.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 R 1,489

$77.4 R$387

18.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 R 1,281

$63.0 R$316

25.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R 7,175

$326 R$1,632

35.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 R 5,963

$229 R$1,144

60.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 R 14.4K

$634 R$3,170

39.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 R 11.8K

$452 R$2,263

59.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,090 R 17.7K

$1,906 R$9,537

-42.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 R 12.7K

$1,257 R$6,293

-38.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,558 R 25.3K

$536 R$2,683

190.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

11.16

3.49%

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

Last update for South Africa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brazil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $368 in South Africa vs $304 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $765 in Cape Town and $408 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $1,520 in South Africa vs $494 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 21% higher in South Africa.

Dining out costs 30% more in South Africa.

Public transport is 144% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 208% higher in South Africa, giving South Africa stronger purchasing power.

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 32% 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 32% 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.