Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Sao Luis Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Sao Luis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Belem versus $857 in Sao Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,369 in Belem versus $1,298 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,828 in Belem versus $1,739 in Sao Luis.

Living in Belem is roughly 6% more expensive than in Sao Luis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 34% lower, Sao Luis 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 R$24.42

$6.40 R$32.63

-25.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.23 R$98.1

$38.07 R$194

-49.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 R$35.22

$6.77 R$34.54

2.07%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.79

$2.17 R$11.08

-11.52%

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

$0.98 R$4.99

$1.23 R$6.28

-20.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.39

$0.67 R$3.40

-29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 R$7.70

$1.92 R$9.77

-21.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$12.05

$2.32 R$11.85

1.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.57

$1.06 R$5.42

21.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 R$12.65

$1.84 R$9.37

34.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.78

$1.06 R$5.40

25.47%

Eggs

$2.17 R$11.05

$2.07 R$10.57

4.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 R$44.42

$9.82 R$50.1

-11.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 R$21.99

$4.14 R$21.09

4.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 R$36.95

$7.40 R$37.74

-2.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.81

$2.02 R$10.31

14.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.03

$1.33 R$6.77

3.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.11

$1.16 R$5.92

19.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.18

$1.63 R$8.29

-1.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.12

$1.34 R$6.82

-25.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 R$2.86

$1.25 R$6.36

-55.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 R$6.47

$0.85 R$4.32

49.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 R$7.22

$0.69 R$3.52

105.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 R$13.47

$2.33 R$11.90

13.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 R$48.65

$8.04 R$41.02

18.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R$7.03

$1.24 R$6.34

11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 R$25.24

$2.16 R$11.01

129.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 R$4.62

$0.77 R$3.93

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.15 R$174

$38.05 R$194

-10.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R$5.84

$0.93 R$4.75

23.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 R$5.86

$0.90 R$4.61

27.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 R$42.68

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.17 R$5.98

5.98%

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

$23.0K R$117.5K

$23.2K R$118.2K

-0.61%

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

$30.7K R$156.7K

$29.0K R$148.1K

5.84%

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

$95.5 R$487

$93.1 R$475

2.65%

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

$11.18 R$57.0

$16.90 R$86.2

-33.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.00 R$153

$20.64 R$105

45.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.31 R$109

$19.76 R$101

7.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.83 R$198

$14.51 R$74.0

167.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.07

$7.55 R$38.48

4.11%

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

$107 R$547

$222 R$1,135

-51.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,321 R$16.9K

$4,659 R$23.8K

-28.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.77 R$162

$47.59 R$243

-33.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 R$220

$50.4 R$257

-14.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 R$410

$56.7 R$289

41.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$332

$57.1 R$291

13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 R$2,604

$343 R$1,749

48.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 R$1,387

$223 R$1,138

21.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 R$4,301

$543 R$2,769

55.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 R$2,586

$317 R$1,614

60.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,941 R$9,900

$1,474 R$7,519

31.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 R$7,107

$692 R$3,529

101.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$407 R$2,074

$375 R$1,911

8.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

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

Last update for Belem: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Belem and $343 in Sao Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belem pays 9% 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: $19.00 in Belem vs $38.00 in Sao Luis. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $190, with Sao Luis 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

Belem vs Sao Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Luis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Belem, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $511 in Belem versus $343 in Sao Luis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sao Luis runs roughly 11% less than in Belem. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $107 in Belem versus $222 in Sao Luis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $857 in Sao Luis versus $910 in Belem, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Belem. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Luis 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 Sao Luis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Belem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.