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: $812 in Bauru versus $763 in Chengdu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bauru versus $1,225 in Chengdu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,636 in Bauru versus $1,688 in Chengdu.

Living in Bauru is roughly 6% more expensive than in Chengdu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bauru 41% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 R$24.67

$2.90 ¥19.46

66.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.94 R$132

$20.18 ¥135

28.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 R$37.94

$5.18 ¥34.79

43.82%

Cappuccino

$1.55 R$7.87

$2.94 ¥19.70

-47.28%

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

$0.87 R$4.43

$0.48 ¥3.19

81.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.81

$0.28 ¥1.89

96.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 R$8.07

$1.46 ¥9.78

8.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R$12.65

$2.50 ¥16.75

-0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.68

$1.76 ¥11.82

-47.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.51

$1.64 ¥11.00

-10.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.12

$0.94 ¥6.32

27.66%

Eggs

$2.37 R$12.07

$1.54 ¥10.30

53.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 R$37.60

$14.19 ¥95.2

-47.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 R$21.96

$3.51 ¥23.54

22.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 R$31.88

$11.04 ¥74.1

-43.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 R$10.52

$1.82 ¥12.21

13.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.18

$1.26 ¥8.47

11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.20

$1.06 ¥7.11

15.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R$8.88

$1.25 ¥8.39

39.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.01

$0.69 ¥4.64

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$0.72 ¥4.84

70.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 R$6.98

$0.73 ¥4.91

87.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R$4.74

$0.59 ¥3.93

57.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 R$11.54

$3.63 ¥24.33

-37.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.90 R$35.16

$5.47 ¥36.67

26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$6.03

$0.79 ¥5.29

49.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 R$11.68

$1.53 ¥10.27

49.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.04

$0.43 ¥2.91

130.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.30 R$149

$24.95 ¥167

17.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 R$9.57

$1.32 ¥8.82

42.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 R$6.51

$0.29 ¥1.94

341.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 R$19.31

$4.38 ¥29.37

-13.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.48

$1.23 ¥8.22

-12.20%

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

$23.3K R$118.7K

$19.4K ¥130.0K

20.33%

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

$33.3K R$169.4K

$17.4K ¥116.9K

90.92%

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

$131 R$667

$41.04 ¥275

218.91%

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

$10.07 R$51.3

$9.46 ¥63.5

6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.07 R$97.1

$12.83 ¥86.1

48.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.06 R$92.0

$27.45 ¥184

-34.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.21 R$113

$11.02 ¥74.0

101.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 R$26.35

$6.02 ¥40.40

-14.12%

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

$252 R$1,286

$410 ¥2,751

-38.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,768 R$29.4K

$14.8K ¥99.1K

-60.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 R$340

$28.78 ¥193

132.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.65 R$248

$29.21 ¥196

66.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 R$534

$60.8 ¥408

72.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 R$383

$52.7 ¥353

42.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 R$1,216

$486 ¥3,264

-50.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 R$832

$256 ¥1,716

-36.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 R$2,296

$849 ¥5,699

-46.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 R$1,525

$545 ¥3,660

-45.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 R$7,817

$3,813 ¥25.6K

-59.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$677 R$3,450

$1,909 ¥12.8K

-64.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 R$1,910

$1,284 ¥8,614

-70.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

3.38

183.73%

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

Last update for Bauru: August 31, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Bauru and $486 in Chengdu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chengdu pays 242% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Bauru vs $20.00 in Chengdu. Groceries flip the comparison at $181 vs $196, with Bauru cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chengdu wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Bauru. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chengdu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 242% lower in Chengdu. 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: $239 in Bauru versus $486 in Chengdu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chengdu – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $26.00 in Bauru. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $812 per month in Bauru versus $763 in Chengdu – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Chengdu 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 Chengdu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Bauru. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.