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: $772 in Belem versus $774 in Sao Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Belem versus $1,169 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,734 in Belem versus $1,564 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs are close between Belem and Sao Luis; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 42% lower, Sao Luis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.39

$5.01 R$25.36

-11.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.57 R$145

$30.50 R$154

-6.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 R$31.15

$7.33 R$37.09

-15.96%

Cappuccino

$1.59 R$8.07

$2.05 R$10.38

-22.44%

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

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.95 R$4.80

-2.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 R$2.20

$0.55 R$2.80

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 R$8.12

$1.84 R$9.29

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.74

$3.19 R$16.16

15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.86

$0.96 R$4.86

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 R$10.63

$1.92 R$9.73

9.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.24

$1.01 R$5.13

21.78%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.21

$1.93 R$9.77

4.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 R$53.9

$9.39 R$47.49

13.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 R$19.61

$3.70 R$18.71

4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 R$32.88

$7.21 R$36.49

-9.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 R$8.55

$1.86 R$9.43

-9.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.40

$1.21 R$6.10

37.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$0.96 R$4.85

28.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.35

$1.37 R$6.91

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.11 R$5.61

-17.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 R$2.84

$1.24 R$6.28

-54.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R$5.22

$0.79 R$4.02

30.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R$6.78

$0.57 R$2.86

135.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.38 R$12.04

$2.03 R$10.25

17.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 R$48.83

$8.03 R$40.62

20.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.88

$1.10 R$5.56

23.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 R$22.42

$1.94 R$9.82

128.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 R$3.48

$0.79 R$4.02

-12.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.60 R$109

$35.80 R$181

-39.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.30

$0.94 R$4.74

11.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.62

$0.50 R$2.51

44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 R$46.14

$6.49 R$32.84

40.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.46

$0.95 R$4.79

13.68%

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

$16.2K R$81.7K

$17.2K R$86.9K

-5.93%

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

$28.9K R$146.3K

$25.8K R$130.4K

12.14%

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

$110 R$557

$84.0 R$425

31.13%

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

$14.40 R$72.8

$17.24 R$87.2

-16.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.23 R$107

$16.25 R$82.2

30.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.77 R$105

$18.13 R$91.7

14.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 R$110

$15.52 R$78.5

39.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 R$31.99

$5.99 R$30.32

5.51%

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

$97.4 R$493

$204 R$1,030

-52.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,133 R$15.9K

$4,284 R$21.7K

-26.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.96 R$167

$44.54 R$225

-26.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.72 R$145

$47.88 R$242

-40.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 R$379

$54.3 R$275

38.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.69 R$211

$55.0 R$278

-24.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 R$2,237

$389 R$1,970

13.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 R$938

$208 R$1,053

-10.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$815 R$4,123

$516 R$2,609

58.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 R$2,314

$295 R$1,495

54.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,996 R$10.1K

$1,505 R$7,614

32.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,420 R$7,186

$723 R$3,660

96.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 R$1,982

$381 R$1,927

2.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.2

10.92

11.72%

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

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $442 in Belem and $389 in Sao Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belem pays 3% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $29.00 in Belem vs $31.00 in Sao Luis. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $177, 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

Belem pays 3% more on average, 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: $442 in Belem versus $389 in Sao Luis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 66% less than in Sao Luis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Sao Luis pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Belem 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.

It comes down to priorities – Belem wins on affordability, Sao Luis on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.