Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Aracaju Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Aracaju

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $677 in Chengdu versus $645 in Aracaju.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,074 in Chengdu versus $1,002 in Aracaju.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,472 in Chengdu versus $1,359 in Aracaju.

Living in Chengdu is roughly 5% more expensive than in Aracaju, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chengdu 49% lower, Aracaju 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.09

$4.97 R$25.41

-43.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 ¥163

$21.83 R$112

10.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.66

$5.29 R$27.05

-6.05%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ¥18.71

$1.61 R$8.23

71.43%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.97 R$4.94

-55.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.55 R$2.83

-49.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.84 R$9.41

-38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.97

$2.59 R$13.25

-20.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.28

$0.95 R$4.84

90.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.39

$1.30 R$6.67

6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.04 R$5.30

-10.58%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.51 R$7.71

28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 ¥93.2

$6.79 R$34.70

102.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ¥24.41

$3.39 R$17.35

6.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ¥76.6

$6.35 R$32.45

78.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.94

$1.64 R$8.39

16.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.14 R$5.80

7.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.18

$0.65 R$3.34

130.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.90

$0.98 R$5.00

4.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.81

$0.89 R$4.52

-20.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$0.88 R$4.50

-20.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$0.46 R$2.34

30.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.56 R$2.87

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.02

$2.01 R$10.27

69.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 ¥37.19

$5.67 R$28.96

-3.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$1.32 R$6.77

-28.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.89 R$9.68

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.79 R$4.04

-45.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.94 ¥189

$38.12 R$195

-26.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.38

$1.09 R$5.58

13.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$1.09 R$5.57

-74.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 ¥28.15

$6.17 R$31.54

-32.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.95

$1.04 R$5.30

12.50%

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

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$18.4K R$93.8K

0.62%

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

$16.7K ¥112.7K

$26.3K R$134.5K

-36.73%

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

$44.66 ¥302

$68.3 R$349

-34.57%

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

$11.53 ¥78.1

$14.32 R$73.2

-19.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥76.7

$15.84 R$80.9

-28.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.18 ¥164

$18.83 R$96.2

28.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 ¥78.2

$24.19 R$124

-52.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ¥38.53

$5.82 R$29.74

-2.23%

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

$330 ¥2,232

$169 R$863

95.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.5K

$4,901 R$25.0K

151.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.54 ¥254

$51.4 R$263

-26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 ¥260

$30.09 R$154

27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ¥452

$68.9 R$352

-2.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.0 ¥339

$79.4 R$406

-36.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥2,165

$179 R$913

79.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ¥1,237

$116 R$592

57.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,138

$598 R$3,056

2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥2,224

$211 R$1,077

55.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,785 ¥25.6K

$1,268 R$6,478

198.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 ¥13.0K

$867 R$4,432

121.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,647

$452 R$2,310

182.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

10.35

-59.32%

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

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Aracaju: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $320 in Chengdu and $179 in Aracaju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chengdu pays 183% 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: $24.00 in Chengdu vs $22.00 in Aracaju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $146 per month, with Aracaju 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

Chengdu vs Aracaju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chengdu and Aracaju differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($677 vs $645 including rent). Aracaju is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 183% higher in Chengdu, 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: $320 in Chengdu versus $179 in Aracaju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $330 in Chengdu versus $169 in Aracaju. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Chengdu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Aracaju 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 Aracaju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Chengdu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.