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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $860 in Brasilia versus $762 in Sao Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Brasilia versus $1,168 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Brasilia versus $1,574 in Sao Luis.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 13% more expensive than Sao Luis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Sao Luis 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.53

$4.99 R$25.26

40.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 R$197

$30.58 R$155

27.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 R$32.41

$7.16 R$36.24

-10.61%

Cappuccino

$1.94 R$9.80

$2.04 R$10.34

-4.90%

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

$1.15 R$5.85

$0.95 R$4.79

21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.36

$0.59 R$3.00

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.01

$1.87 R$9.48

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.14

$3.33 R$16.86

-4.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.00

$1.03 R$5.21

-3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 R$8.39

$1.85 R$9.36

-10.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.52

$1.01 R$5.13

47.52%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.19

$1.85 R$9.38

8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 R$45.53

$9.20 R$46.59

-2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$16.68

$3.64 R$18.43

-9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$33.61

$7.42 R$37.57

-10.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.23

$1.86 R$9.43

8.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.09

$1.26 R$6.37

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.09

$1.03 R$5.19

16.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.19

$1.36 R$6.90

19.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.11 R$5.63

16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.24 R$6.26

5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.09

$0.73 R$3.71

10.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.16

$0.61 R$3.08

1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.01 R$10.17

7.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 R$43.91

$7.89 R$39.95

9.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.12 R$5.66

-5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.41

$1.96 R$9.90

14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.79 R$4.02

27.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.27 R$224

$35.39 R$179

25.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.08

$0.92 R$4.68

8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.53 R$2.67

52.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 R$28.91

$6.54 R$33.11

-12.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.00 R$5.07

14.00%

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

$24.8K R$125.7K

$16.8K R$85.2K

47.58%

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

$28.6K R$144.7K

$24.9K R$126.1K

14.72%

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

$69.8 R$353

$84.5 R$428

-17.37%

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

$13.07 R$66.2

$17.37 R$87.9

-24.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 R$104

$16.28 R$82.4

25.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$126

$18.19 R$92.1

37.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 R$111

$15.44 R$78.2

42.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 R$36.86

$6.25 R$31.66

16.48%

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

$491 R$2,485

$206 R$1,044

138.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.5K

$4,293 R$21.7K

261.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 R$299

$43.68 R$221

35.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 R$208

$47.00 R$238

-12.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 R$344

$53.8 R$273

26.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 R$323

$53.0 R$268

20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R$2,093

$386 R$1,953

7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,311

$209 R$1,061

23.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 R$4,831

$513 R$2,597

85.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,794

$302 R$1,530

82.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 R$12.6K

$1,489 R$7,538

66.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 R$8,520

$693 R$3,509

142.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$929 R$4,705

$370 R$1,873

151.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.92

8.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Brasilia and $386 in Sao Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 151% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $31.00 in Sao Luis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $177 per month, with Sao Luis 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

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

Brasilia and Sao Luis differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $762 including rent). Sao Luis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 151% 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: $414 in Brasilia versus $386 in Sao Luis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Luis – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $860 per month in Brasilia versus $762 in Sao Luis – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sao Luis 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 Sao Luis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.