Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Teresina and Brasilia

For one person, living is cheaper in Teresina: $758 a month against $1,000 in Brasilia, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

37

Cost of Living Index in Teresina
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Teresina Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Brasilia
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Brasilia Living Index

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Teresina

🇧🇷 Brazil

$758

/mo nomad

Brasilia

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,000

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Teresina and in Brasilia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Teresina and in Brasilia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $758 in Teresina versus $1,000 in Brasilia.

Teresina $758
Brasilia $1,000

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in Teresina versus $1,614 in Brasilia.

Teresina $1,251
Brasilia $1,614

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,745 in Teresina versus $2,228 in Brasilia.

Teresina $1,745
Brasilia $2,228

Living in Teresina costs roughly 24% less than in Brasilia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Teresina 44% lower, Brasilia 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 R$30.83

$8.80 R$44.59

-30.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.82 R$100

$39.84 R$202

-50.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 R$32.53

$8.26 R$41.87

-22.28%

Cappuccino

$2.04 R$10.34

$2.72 R$13.81

-25.00%

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

$1.08 R$5.47

$1.57 R$7.96

-31.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.93

$1.00 R$5.07

-23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 R$7.99

$2.33 R$11.81

-32.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R$15.19

$3.92 R$19.85

-23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 R$7.56

$1.09 R$5.53

36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 R$11.54

$2.07 R$10.52

10.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.32

$1.36 R$6.87

5.88%

Eggs

$4.45 R$22.54

$2.43 R$12.33

83.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 R$38.22

$11.64 R$59.0

-35.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 R$20.87

$4.07 R$20.62

1.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 R$34.39

$8.80 R$44.60

-22.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R$9.53

$2.49 R$12.64

-24.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.91 R$4.60

$1.48 R$7.48

-38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 R$4.52

$1.34 R$6.79

-33.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.76

$1.63 R$8.29

-18.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.61

$1.23 R$6.25

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.56

$1.04 R$5.27

-13.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 R$2.56

$0.86 R$4.34

-41.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R$7.68

$0.95 R$4.80

58.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 R$16.83

$2.52 R$12.77

31.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 R$46.84

$8.39 R$42.54

10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R$7.39

$1.31 R$6.65

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 R$14.36

$2.41 R$12.23

17.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 R$4.80

$1.01 R$5.13

-5.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.09 R$229

$35.30 R$179

27.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 R$7.81

$1.10 R$5.58

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 R$3.95

$0.93 R$4.73

-16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 R$39.94

$6.17 R$31.25

27.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.15

$1.29 R$6.54

-6.20%

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

$23.8K R$120.6K

$23.4K R$118.8K

1.51%

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

$32.4K R$164.1K

$33.7K R$170.9K

-3.96%

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

$77.0 R$390

$96.3 R$488

-20.07%

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

$10.31 R$52.3

$12.59 R$63.8

-18.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 R$90.0

$22.58 R$114

-21.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.77 R$110

$33.65 R$171

-35.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.07 R$66.3

$27.87 R$141

-53.10%

Cinema Ticket

$8.07 R$40.89

$7.78 R$39.43

3.73%

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

$561 R$2,845

$815 R$4,133

-31.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,196 R$36.5K

$17.2K R$87.3K

-58.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.55 R$221

$55.4 R$281

-21.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 R$152

$44.23 R$224

-32.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 R$385

$85.0 R$431

-10.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 R$255

$87.8 R$445

-42.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 R$816

$494 R$2,506

-67.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 R$762

$282 R$1,427

-46.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 R$2,121

$1,127 R$5,711

-62.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 R$2,204

$593 R$3,004

-26.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,367 R$6,932

$2,522 R$12.8K

-45.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 R$3,856

$1,753 R$8,885

-56.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 R$1,987

$850 R$4,310

-53.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

-9.24%

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

Last update for Teresina: October 19, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Teresina

$207 27.3%

Brasilia

$212 21.2% 2.6% $5.4

Accommodation & Living

Teresina

$150 19.8%

Brasilia

$282 28.2% 87.4% $131

Eating Out

Teresina

$114 15%

Brasilia

$158 15.8% 38.7% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Teresina

$105 13.9%

Brasilia

$131 13.2% 25.2% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Teresina

$90 11.9%

Brasilia

$123 12.3% 36.4% $33

Getting Around

Teresina

$54 7.2%

Brasilia

$45 4.5% 17% $9.2

Sport & Entertainment

Teresina

$38 5%

Brasilia

$49 4.9% 29.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $161 in Teresina and $494 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 117% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Teresina vs $40.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $212 per month, with Teresina cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Teresina

🇧🇷 Brasilia

🕒 Local time

07:50 7:50 AM

Same time as Teresina

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

866,300

2,817,381 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Teresina Brasilia 1,310 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Teresina
Brasilia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Teresina vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Teresina and Brasilia differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($758 vs $1,000 including rent). Teresina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 117% lower in Brasilia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $161 in Teresina versus $494 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Teresina – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $758 per month in Teresina versus $1,000 in Brasilia – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $758 in Teresina versus $1,000 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Teresina but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Teresina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Teresina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.