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: $974 in Brasilia versus $860 in Sao Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,310 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,760 in Sao Luis.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 13% more expensive than in Sao Luis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Sao Luis 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.66

$6.17 R$31.64

41.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$195

$38.42 R$197

-0.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.61

$6.90 R$35.35

17.68%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.15

$2.11 R$10.81

21.80%

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

$1.44 R$7.36

$1.24 R$6.35

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.65 R$3.31

49.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.82

$1.90 R$9.71

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.37

$2.35 R$12.06

60.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.50

$1.08 R$5.53

-0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.72

$1.95 R$9.97

7.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.76

$1.12 R$5.76

17.86%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.51

$2.17 R$11.12

12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.0

$9.66 R$49.49

21.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.84

$4.21 R$21.55

-3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.43

$7.56 R$38.75

12.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.28

$2.09 R$10.69

14.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.31

$1.40 R$7.18

2.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.72

$1.22 R$6.25

7.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.26

$1.64 R$8.42

-1.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.21

$1.35 R$6.94

-10.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.30 R$6.64

-19.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.09

$0.82 R$4.22

-2.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.11

$0.76 R$3.92

31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.27

$2.37 R$12.15

0.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.54

$8.04 R$41.18

0.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.60

$1.26 R$6.46

2.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$11.99

$2.18 R$11.17

7.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.35

$0.80 R$4.12

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$37.23 R$191

-6.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.26

$0.94 R$4.80

9.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.86 R$4.39

6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.54

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.17 R$6.02

10.26%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.3K R$119.2K

0.32%

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

$32.6K R$166.9K

$29.6K R$151.7K

10.08%

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

$95.0 R$487

0.03%

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

$12.28 R$62.9

$17.04 R$87.3

-27.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$20.60 R$106

8.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$20.06 R$103

56.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$138

$14.84 R$76.1

81.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.22

$7.56 R$38.73

3.84%

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

$811 R$4,154

$221 R$1,133

266.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.7K

$4,670 R$23.9K

253.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$265

$48.06 R$246

7.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$224

$50.7 R$260

-13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$426

$58.0 R$297

43.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$439

$58.2 R$298

46.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,461

$348 R$1,784

37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,340

$227 R$1,164

15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,688

$567 R$2,904

95.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,850

$321 R$1,644

73.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,476 R$7,565

69.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,747

$700 R$3,590

143.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,147

$382 R$1,959

111.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $348 in Sao Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 112% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $38.00 in Sao Luis. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $194, 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

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

Brasilia and Sao Luis differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $860 including rent). Sao Luis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 112% higher in Brasilia, 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $348 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 $38.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $860 in Sao Luis – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $860 in Sao Luis versus $974 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. 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 13% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.