Price of a Big Mac in USA: $3.73 Brazil: $5.19

(Big Mac index, http://www.oanda.com/currency/big-mac-index)

Jokes aside, in Brazil you need ~$1000/month to live* in a big city, ~$700 in a smaller one, ~$500 as a broken college student.

(live* as in small apartment, internet, public transportation, entertainment but no luxury).