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Average Refrigeration and Airconditioning Mechanic Salary in Brazil for 2026

A refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Brazil earns about 48,560 BRL a year. That's 52% below the national average of 101,120 BRL.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in Brazil sit around 22,400 BRL a year, while the very top stretches to 77,620 BRL. Everything on this page is in Brazilian real (BRL, symbol R$), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in Brazil, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.


How much does a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic make in Brazil?

Average salary
48,560 BRL
4,046 BRL per month
Lowest reported
22,400 BRL
1,866 BRL per month
Highest reported
77,620 BRL
6,468 BRL per month

A typical refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic working in Brazil brings home around 4,046 BRL a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 22,400 BRL, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 77,620 BRL for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around.


How refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay ranges in Brazil

A good way to think about salary in Brazil is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil earn less than 50,020 BRL a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 34,240 BRL (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 66,020 BRL (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 22,400 BRL. The highest stretch to 77,620 BRL, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

22,400
Low
50,020
Median
77,620
High
34,240
25th
66,020
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in BRL

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay by experience in Brazil

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Brazil, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    29,840 BRL
  • 2-5 Years
    +23% from previous
    36,800 BRL
  • 5-10 Years
    +34% from previous
    49,200 BRL
  • 10-15 Years
    +29% from previous
    63,700 BRL
  • 15-20 Years
    +4% from previous
    66,260 BRL
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    70,700 BRL

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 34%. That is the point at which a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.


Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay by education in Brazil

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay in Brazil. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic salary in Brazil broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    36,800 BRL
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +46% from previous
    53,600 BRL
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +35% from previous
    72,420 BRL

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic gender pay gap in Brazil

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and Brazil is no exception. Male refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil earn an average of 52,460 BRL a year, while female refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics earn around 45,000 BRL. That works out to a 17% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Refrigeration and Airconditioning Mechanic gender pay gap

14%

Men earn this much more than women on average in Brazil.

Men 52,460 BRL
Women 45,000 BRL

Pay raises for a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Brazil

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in Brazil sees a raise of about 9% every 18 months, which works out to roughly 6% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in Brazil, the national average raise is around 9% every 16 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in Brazil:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic bonus rates in Brazil

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

30%

30% of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 70% of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in Brazil

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in Brazil is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

7%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in Brazil on average.

Public sector 106,500 BRL
Private sector 99,460 BRL

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic salary by city in Brazil

Refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic pay is not even across Brazil. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • Sao Paulo
  • Fortaleza
  • Belo Horizonte
  • Manaus
  • Rio de Janeiro
  • Salvador
  • Curitiba
  • Brasilia
  • Sao Luis
  • Belem
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
Sao PauloCity57,900 BRL50,540 BRL30,220-85,440 BRL
FortalezaCity55,020 BRL55,140 BRL26,400-84,800 BRL
Belo HorizonteCity54,700 BRL59,240 BRL27,380-84,560 BRL
ManausCity54,700 BRL56,460 BRL25,160-84,880 BRL
Rio de JaneiroCity54,460 BRL59,480 BRL26,020-84,740 BRL
SalvadorCity54,280 BRL56,460 BRL29,040-88,580 BRL
CuritibaCity54,180 BRL50,340 BRL26,860-80,540 BRL
BrasiliaCity54,140 BRL52,180 BRL29,540-82,160 BRL
Sao LuisCity52,540 BRL49,300 BRL25,440-78,160 BRL
BelemCity51,120 BRL56,640 BRL23,260-85,940 BRL
Porto AlegreCity50,580 BRL51,100 BRL24,820-78,940 BRL
RecifeCity50,340 BRL50,340 BRL27,020-78,160 BRL
GoianiaCity50,020 BRL51,120 BRL24,820-78,940 BRL
CuiabaCity49,360 BRL52,540 BRL21,980-77,620 BRL
Joao PessoaCity48,820 BRL50,340 BRL20,000-72,740 BRL
MaceioCity48,740 BRL43,760 BRL24,860-75,040 BRL
CampinasCity48,640 BRL46,400 BRL27,300-73,100 BRL
AracajuCity48,560 BRL50,020 BRL22,400-77,620 BRL
TeresinaCity48,300 BRL47,540 BRL26,780-75,220 BRL
SantosCity46,160 BRL46,160 BRL24,840-72,780 BRL
MaringaCity46,160 BRL46,400 BRL23,500-69,400 BRL
NatalCity46,040 BRL48,200 BRL23,260-75,040 BRL
MacapaCity45,720 BRL42,960 BRL23,700-73,260 BRL
Petrolina and JuazeiroCity44,300 BRL45,580 BRL21,100-66,140 BRL
LondrinaCity43,800 BRL43,800 BRL21,300-69,400 BRL
VitoriaCity43,220 BRL45,060 BRL21,400-67,020 BRL
Vale do AcoCity42,960 BRL43,260 BRL24,280-67,120 BRL


Refrigeration and Airconditioning Mechanic in Brazil: FAQs

  • How much does a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic make per month in Brazil?

    A refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Brazil earns about 4,046 BRL a month before tax, based on an annual average of 48,560 BRL.

  • What's the salary range for a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Brazil?

    Entry-level refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil start near 22,400 BRL. Top-end pay reaches around 77,620 BRL. The middle 50% of earners sit between 34,240 and 66,020 BRL.

  • Is the median refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic salary in Brazil higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 50,020 BRL, higher than the average of 48,560 BRL. Half of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil?

    Men working as a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Brazil earn around 17% more than women on average (52,460 vs 45,000 BRL a year).

  • Do refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil get bonuses?

    About 30% of refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics earn more in the public or private sector in Brazil?

    In Brazil, the public sector pays a refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do refrigeration and airconditioning mechanics in Brazil get a pay raise?

    A refrigeration and airconditioning mechanic in Brazil sees a raise of around 9% every 18 months, equivalent to roughly 6% a year.