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 $1,426 per month in South Korea vs $765 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,249 per month in South Korea vs $1,223 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,071 per month in South Korea vs $1,681 in Brazil, rent included.

South Korea costs about 86% more than Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

South Korea sits 6% above the global median, while Brazil is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: South Korea spans $1,253–$1,784, Brazil spans $563–$1,048. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.34 ₩10.8K

$5.51 R$27.43

33.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.05 ₩64.9K

$29.01 R$144

51.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.73 ₩8,448

$6.15 R$30.63

-6.83%

Cappuccino

$3.66 ₩5,396

$1.72 R$8.59

112.79%

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

$1.64 ₩2,412

$1.12 R$5.59

46.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₩1,138

$0.71 R$3.51

8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.74 ₩5,515

$1.76 R$8.75

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 ₩6,894

$2.66 R$13.25

75.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩3,301

$0.99 R$4.95

126.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 ₩4,635

$1.47 R$7.34

114.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,349

$1.22 R$6.05

141.80%

Eggs

$3.03 ₩4,470

$2.10 R$10.43

44.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.95 ₩20.5K

$8.74 R$43.52

59.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 ₩13.8K

$3.70 R$18.44

153.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.14 ₩44.4K

$7.43 R$37.01

305.65%

Apples (1kg)

$7.78 ₩11.5K

$2.15 R$10.70

261.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.48 ₩5,134

$1.32 R$6.56

163.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ₩8,604

$1.14 R$5.69

412.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.11 ₩9,009

$1.45 R$7.22

321.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₩5,730

$1.18 R$5.86

229.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 ₩4,179

$1.06 R$5.26

167.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 ₩3,554

$0.71 R$3.54

239.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 ₩1,760

$0.64 R$3.18

85.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₩4,979

$2.18 R$10.88

55.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.87 ₩23.4K

$8.05 R$40.09

97.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₩3,025

$1.18 R$5.89

73.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 ₩4,254

$2.25 R$11.18

28.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,656

$0.86 R$4.29

30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.99 ₩69.2K

$41.78 R$208

12.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 ₩4,842

$1.10 R$5.49

199.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 ₩829

$0.84 R$4.17

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.79 ₩12.9K

$7.40 R$36.87

18.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,755

$1.08 R$5.38

10.19%

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

$27.7K ₩40.8M

$21.6K R$107.7K

28.15%

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

$24.2K ₩35.7M

$27.2K R$135.5K

-10.92%

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

$167 ₩246.2K

$68.1 R$339

145.23%

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

$41.36 ₩60.9K

$14.12 R$70.3

192.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.78 ₩32.1K

$19.25 R$95.8

13.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 ₩76.3K

$23.11 R$115

123.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.40 ₩28.6K

$22.58 R$112

-14.08%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 ₩16.5K

$6.26 R$31.16

79.23%

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

$392 ₩577.6K

$282 R$1,406

38.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.6K ₩33.3M

$7,250 R$36.1K

211.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ₩85.3K

$49.23 R$245

17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.54 ₩70.0K

$42.14 R$210

12.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 ₩118.7K

$75.1 R$374

7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩160.6K

$62.0 R$309

75.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 ₩920.5K

$326 R$1,625

91.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 ₩615.3K

$226 R$1,128

84.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 ₩2.3M

$654 R$3,259

138.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$963 ₩1.4M

$450 R$2,241

114.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K ₩19.2M

$1,947 R$9,697

570.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,275 ₩12.2M

$1,317 R$6,558

528.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,241 ₩3.3M

$541 R$2,695

314.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

11.16

-62.37%

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

Last update for South Korea: April 27, 2026

Last update for Brazil: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $459 in South Korea vs $305 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $956 in Seoul and $402 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $1,973 in South Korea vs $498 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 50% higher in South Korea.

Dining out costs 48% more in South Korea.

Public transport is 225% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 296% higher in South Korea, giving South Korea 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 Korea vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 89% 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 89% 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.