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 $1,429 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 $3,068 per month in South Korea vs $1,680 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in South Korea is about 87% higher than in Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

South Korea sits 7% above the global median, while Brazil is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Cost ranges are similar: South Korea spans $1,229–$1,770, Brazil $572–$1,046. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 ₩10.4K

$5.47 R$28.00

31.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.49 ₩62.8K

$28.37 R$145

53.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 ₩8,248

$6.46 R$33.08

-11.61%

Cappuccino

$3.67 ₩5,303

$1.76 R$9.03

108.52%

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

$1.57 ₩2,272

$1.12 R$5.75

40.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₩1,126

$0.66 R$3.37

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.63 ₩5,243

$1.76 R$8.99

106.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 ₩7,060

$2.72 R$13.91

79.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₩3,181

$0.97 R$4.95

126.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 ₩4,422

$1.49 R$7.63

105.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.10 ₩4,479

$1.18 R$6.02

162.71%

Eggs

$2.95 ₩4,263

$2.11 R$10.79

39.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.86 ₩20.0K

$8.66 R$44.32

60.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.43 ₩13.6K

$3.83 R$19.60

146.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$30.00 ₩43.3K

$7.44 R$38.05

303.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.89 ₩11.4K

$2.07 R$10.60

281.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.56 ₩5,137

$1.32 R$6.75

169.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 ₩8,432

$1.17 R$6.00

399.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 ₩9,136

$1.43 R$7.31

342.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,490

$1.17 R$5.99

224.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 ₩4,243

$1.05 R$5.40

180.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 ₩3,552

$0.75 R$3.86

228.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,739

$0.64 R$3.29

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.34 ₩4,819

$2.11 R$10.79

58.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 ₩21.6K

$7.94 R$40.62

88.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₩2,930

$1.22 R$6.25

66.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₩4,235

$2.23 R$11.42

31.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₩1,572

$0.86 R$4.39

26.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.70 ₩67.4K

$40.49 R$207

15.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 ₩4,644

$1.05 R$5.38

206.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₩827

$0.83 R$4.27

-31.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.75 ₩12.6K

$7.00 R$35.85

25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₩1,718

$1.04 R$5.32

14.42%

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

$27.4K ₩39.6M

$21.8K R$111.5K

25.72%

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

$24.3K ₩35.1M

$27.3K R$139.5K

-10.72%

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

$169 ₩243.3K

$70.3 R$360

139.82%

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

$41.27 ₩59.6K

$14.04 R$71.8

193.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.12 ₩31.9K

$18.81 R$96.3

17.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 ₩76.6K

$23.15 R$118

129.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 ₩29.0K

$22.38 R$115

-10.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.90 ₩15.7K

$6.18 R$31.60

76.38%

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

$383 ₩552.2K

$289 R$1,479

32.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K ₩33.5M

$7,356 R$37.6K

215.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ₩83.1K

$48.26 R$247

19.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.05 ₩69.4K

$42.55 R$218

12.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 ₩116.0K

$75.8 R$388

5.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₩157.8K

$63.1 R$323

73.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₩885.6K

$339 R$1,733

81.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 ₩588.9K

$224 R$1,146

82.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 ₩2.3M

$639 R$3,269

147.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₩1.4M

$443 R$2,266

120.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K ₩20.8M

$1,835 R$9,389

685.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,535 ₩10.9M

$1,239 R$6,338

508.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,161 ₩3.1M

$517 R$2,648

317.65%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Brazil: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $457 in South Korea vs $304 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $964 in Seoul and $400 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $1,951 in South Korea vs $486 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 301% 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 85% 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 85% 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.