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

Name: Brazil
Address: BR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,391 per month in South Korea vs $846 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,185 per month in South Korea vs $1,346 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,978 per month in South Korea vs $1,845 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in South Korea is about 64% higher than in Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

South Korea sits 1% above the global median, while Brazil is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Cost ranges are similar: South Korea spans $1,043–$1,783, Brazil $598–$1,403. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.51 ₩10.1K

$6.47 R$33.16

16.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.70 ₩59.9K

$33.65 R$173

32.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 ₩8,926

$7.92 R$40.59

-15.91%

Cappuccino

$3.98 ₩5,343

$2.07 R$10.61

92.27%

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

$1.64 ₩2,195

$1.26 R$6.48

30.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,047

$0.74 R$3.77

5.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 ₩4,946

$1.92 R$9.86

92.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 ₩5,962

$2.94 R$15.09

51.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ₩2,927

$1.08 R$5.52

101.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 ₩3,857

$1.74 R$8.92

65.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 ₩4,506

$1.30 R$6.69

158.46%

Eggs

$3.21 ₩4,308

$2.23 R$11.42

43.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.62 ₩19.6K

$9.16 R$46.94

59.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 ₩11.9K

$4.33 R$22.22

105.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.65 ₩33.1K

$8.46 R$43.35

191.37%

Apples (1kg)

$8.27 ₩11.1K

$2.22 R$11.37

272.52%

Banana (1kg)

$3.44 ₩4,616

$1.33 R$6.81

158.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.32 ₩8,478

$1.20 R$6.16

426.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 ₩7,866

$1.52 R$7.78

286.18%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 ₩5,264

$1.19 R$6.13

230.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 ₩3,751

$1.07 R$5.47

161.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 ₩3,610

$0.84 R$4.30

220.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,571

$0.80 R$4.09

46.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.27 ₩4,384

$2.39 R$12.27

36.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 ₩19.7K

$7.62 R$39.06

93.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₩2,870

$1.36 R$6.98

57.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₩4,011

$2.32 R$11.89

28.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ₩1,450

$1.02 R$5.23

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.55 ₩61.1K

$44.47 R$228

2.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 ₩4,588

$1.30 R$6.66

163.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 ₩867

$0.94 R$4.83

-30.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 ₩11.7K

$8.03 R$41.15

8.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ₩1,774

$1.25 R$6.39

5.60%

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

$29.8K ₩40.0M

$23.0K R$117.7K

29.77%

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

$30.2K ₩40.4M

$31.6K R$161.8K

-4.47%

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

$200 ₩268.7K

$81.0 R$415

147.42%

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

$39.60 ₩53.1K

$12.79 R$65.6

209.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.91 ₩30.7K

$20.82 R$107

10.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ₩75.4K

$25.51 R$131

120.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.03 ₩21.5K

$26.17 R$134

-38.75%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 ₩14.9K

$6.99 R$35.81

58.80%

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

$912 ₩1.2M

$337 R$1,725

171.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K ₩30.8M

$8,862 R$45.4K

159.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 ₩75.8K

$53.1 R$272

6.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.05 ₩57.7K

$48.80 R$250

-11.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 ₩104.2K

$88.6 R$454

-12.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 ₩128.4K

$68.5 R$351

39.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₩786.7K

$377 R$1,933

55.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 ₩544.2K

$244 R$1,250

66.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 ₩2.1M

$724 R$3,713

112.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$900 ₩1.2M

$477 R$2,445

88.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.0K ₩21.4M

$1,846 R$9,462

764.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,144 ₩10.9M

$1,262 R$6,469

545.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,365 ₩3.2M

$524 R$2,686

351.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

11.19

-62.38%

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

Last update for South Korea: September 6, 2026

Last update for Brazil: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $430 in South Korea vs $341 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $891 in Seoul and $479 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $2,116 in South Korea vs $487 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 26% higher in South Korea.

Dining out costs 37% more in South Korea.

Public transport is 225% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 334% higher in South Korea, and purchasing power comes out stronger in South Korea.

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 Korea vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 41% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 41% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brazil, but in South Korea 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.