Cost of Living Comparison Between Bauru and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bauru and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $644 in Bauru versus $689 in Chengdu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,070 in Bauru versus $1,083 in Chengdu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,497 in Bauru versus $1,477 in Chengdu.

Living in Bauru costs roughly 6% less than in Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bauru 52% lower, Chengdu 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 R$24.87

$2.85 ¥19.30

74.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.71 R$109

$24.00 ¥162

-9.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$30.73

$4.99 ¥33.72

23.05%

Cappuccino

$1.39 R$6.95

$2.77 ¥18.73

-49.82%

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

$0.86 R$4.29

$0.46 ¥3.14

86.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.78

$0.30 ¥2.06

86.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 R$6.99

$1.13 ¥7.62

23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 R$12.05

$2.13 ¥14.43

13.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 R$4.19

$1.80 ¥12.18

-53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 R$6.49

$1.39 ¥9.38

-6.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.63

$0.90 ¥6.09

25.56%

Eggs

$2.28 R$11.39

$1.86 ¥12.59

22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 R$31.92

$13.62 ¥92.1

-53.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 R$19.41

$3.56 ¥24.07

8.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.18 R$25.90

$11.23 ¥76.0

-53.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 R$9.70

$1.86 ¥12.61

4.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 R$6.92

$1.18 ¥7.99

16.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.50 ¥10.15

-28.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.65

$1.04 ¥7.01

66.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.50

$0.70 ¥4.73

85.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.89

$0.70 ¥4.71

68.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 R$4.77

$0.56 ¥3.81

69.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.40

$0.61 ¥4.12

11.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 R$9.14

$3.24 ¥21.91

-43.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.83 R$34.20

$5.44 ¥36.77

25.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.29

$1.00 ¥6.78

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 R$7.90

$1.87 ¥12.67

-15.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.42

$0.41 ¥2.77

114.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.69 R$134

$27.31 ¥185

-2.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 R$3.43

$1.22 ¥8.28

-43.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R$2.90

$0.26 ¥1.75

123.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 R$22.76

$4.09 ¥27.62

11.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.63

$1.14 ¥7.69

-18.42%

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

$21.5K R$107.7K

$18.7K ¥126.6K

15.02%

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

$28.3K R$141.7K

$16.0K ¥108.4K

76.53%

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

$50.9 R$255

$45.05 ¥305

12.99%

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

$11.90 R$59.5

$11.69 ¥79.1

1.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.08 R$101

$11.38 ¥77.0

76.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.10 R$101

$24.49 ¥166

-17.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.57 R$97.9

$11.16 ¥75.5

75.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.84 R$19.20

$5.54 ¥37.45

-30.69%

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

$284 R$1,421

$333 ¥2,249

-14.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,305 R$26.5K

$12.1K ¥82.1K

-56.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.89 R$235

$37.92 ¥256

23.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.64 R$223

$38.57 ¥261

15.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 R$375

$67.4 ¥456

11.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 R$346

$50.7 ¥343

36.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 R$1,160

$318 ¥2,149

-27.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 R$746

$179 ¥1,213

-16.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,223

$610 ¥4,128

-27.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 R$1,685

$335 ¥2,263

0.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,601 R$8,013

$3,810 ¥25.8K

-57.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$695 R$3,480

$1,922 ¥13.0K

-63.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 R$1,909

$1,257 ¥8,501

-69.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

4.21

127.79%

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

Last update for Bauru: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Bauru and $318 in Chengdu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chengdu pays 230% 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: $22.00 in Bauru vs $24.00 in Chengdu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $196 per month, with Bauru cheaper across the board.

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

Bauru vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bauru wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Chengdu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bauru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chengdu earns 230% less. 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: $232 in Bauru versus $318 in Chengdu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bauru – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $24.00 in Chengdu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $644 per month in Bauru versus $689 in Chengdu – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bauru gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Bauru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Chengdu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.