Cost of Living Comparison Between Caraguatatuba and Hervey Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Caraguatatuba and Hervey Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $751 in Caraguatatuba versus $2,129 in Hervey Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,215 in Caraguatatuba versus $3,087 in Hervey Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,678 in Caraguatatuba versus $4,045 in Hervey Bay.

Living in Caraguatatuba costs roughly 65% less than in Hervey Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Caraguatatuba is 44% below, Hervey Bay is 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 R$34.02

$16.58 A$23.74

-59.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 R$135

$71.9 A$103

-63.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 R$34.92

$9.60 A$13.74

-28.85%

Cappuccino

$1.75 R$8.95

$3.48 A$4.99

-49.71%

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

$1.06 R$5.40

$2.67 A$3.82

-60.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.28

$2.08 A$2.98

-59.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.32

$5.65 A$8.09

-67.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 R$14.62

$7.99 A$11.45

-64.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.91

$1.54 A$2.21

-37.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.50

$1.06 A$1.51

38.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.07

$1.90 A$2.73

-37.37%

Eggs

$1.69 R$8.66

$3.03 A$4.33

-44.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.43 R$27.77

$8.35 A$11.95

-34.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 R$15.07

$5.91 A$8.46

-50.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 R$37.85

$13.66 A$19.56

-45.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.88

$3.28 A$4.70

-41.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.52

$2.22 A$3.17

-24.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.82

$2.73 A$3.91

-51.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 R$8.64

$4.21 A$6.03

-59.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.85

$1.97 A$2.82

-42.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.81

$2.00 A$2.86

-62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 R$3.13

$2.22 A$3.18

-72.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.52

$1.29 A$1.85

-46.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 R$9.13

$32.51 A$46.54

-94.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 R$34.36

$12.35 A$17.69

-45.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.74

$4.71 A$6.74

-71.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 R$10.23

$4.07 A$5.83

-50.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.47

$2.61 A$3.74

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.96 R$107

$65.3 A$93.5

-67.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.39

$2.33 A$3.34

-54.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 R$2.96

$1.52 A$2.18

-61.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 R$16.07

$33.60 A$48.11

-90.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.45

$1.23 A$1.76

-13.01%

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

$13.8K R$70.4K

$28.5K A$40.8K

-51.70%

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

$26.2K R$133.7K

$22.2K A$31.8K

17.63%

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

$51.3 R$262

$146 A$209

-64.80%

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

$11.91 R$60.9

$25.34 A$36.28

-53.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 R$105

$53.4 A$76.4

-61.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.37 R$99.0

$48.95 A$70.1

-60.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 R$72.3

$15.99 A$22.89

-11.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 R$37.77

$13.06 A$18.70

-43.42%

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

$200 R$1,020

$1,627 A$2,329

-87.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,854 R$19.7K

$8,851 A$12.7K

-56.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 R$259

$57.9 A$82.9

-12.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 R$284

$44.22 A$63.3

25.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 R$366

$59.4 A$85.0

20.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 R$274

$59.7 A$85.4

-10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 R$1,894

$1,238 A$1,772

-70.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 R$1,055

$1,052 A$1,506

-80.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$775 R$3,959

$1,986 A$2,843

-60.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,463

$1,689 A$2,419

-71.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 R$8,327

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 R$5,782

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 R$1,672

$3,827 A$5,479

-91.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.15

6.24

30.61%

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

Last update for Caraguatatuba: July 13, 2026

Last update for Hervey Bay: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Caraguatatuba and $1,238 in Hervey Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hervey Bay pays 1070% 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: $26.00 in Caraguatatuba vs $72.0 in Hervey Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $162 vs $294 per month, with Caraguatatuba 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

Caraguatatuba vs Hervey Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caraguatatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 183% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1070% lower in Hervey Bay. 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: $371 in Caraguatatuba versus $1,238 in Hervey Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Hervey Bay. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Caraguatatuba – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $72.0 in Hervey Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $751 in Caraguatatuba versus $2,129 in Hervey Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Caraguatatuba but tight or insufficient in Hervey Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Caraguatatuba 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.

Safety-wise, Caraguatatuba and Hervey Bay are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Caraguatatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Hervey Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.