Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Bauru Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Bauru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $677 in Chengdu versus $652 in Bauru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,074 in Chengdu versus $1,048 in Bauru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,472 in Chengdu versus $1,443 in Bauru.

Living in Chengdu is roughly 4% more expensive than in Bauru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chengdu 49% lower, Bauru 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.09

$4.91 R$25.09

-42.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.08 ¥163

$21.68 R$111

11.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.66

$6.21 R$31.76

-19.97%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ¥18.71

$1.39 R$7.09

98.56%

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

$0.43 ¥2.92

$0.89 R$4.57

-51.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.88

$0.52 R$2.65

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.40 R$7.14

-18.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.97

$2.41 R$12.30

-14.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.28

$0.89 R$4.53

103.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.39

$1.35 R$6.92

2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$1.13 R$5.78

-17.70%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$2.40 R$12.27

-19.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.76 ¥93.2

$6.44 R$32.92

113.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ¥24.41

$3.85 R$19.70

-6.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 ¥76.6

$5.19 R$26.51

118.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.94

$1.87 R$9.57

2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.38 R$7.07

-11.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.18

$1.06 R$5.41

41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.90

$1.72 R$8.78

-40.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.81

$1.34 R$6.86

-47.01%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$1.18 R$6.04

-40.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$0.94 R$4.82

-36.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.63 R$3.21

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ¥23.02

$1.81 R$9.26

87.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 ¥37.19

$6.61 R$33.76

-16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$1.05 R$5.37

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.52 R$7.78

21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.89 R$4.54

-51.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.94 ¥189

$26.89 R$137

3.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ¥8.38

$0.74 R$3.77

67.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.58 R$2.98

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.16 ¥28.15

$4.39 R$22.42

-5.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.95

$0.98 R$5.00

19.39%

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

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$21.8K R$111.6K

-15.46%

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

$16.7K ¥112.7K

$28.2K R$144.3K

-41.00%

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

$44.66 ¥302

$52.3 R$267

-14.56%

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

$11.53 ¥78.1

$11.53 R$58.9

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥76.7

$19.87 R$102

-42.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.18 ¥164

$20.00 R$102

20.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 ¥78.2

$20.09 R$103

-42.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.69 ¥38.53

$3.83 R$19.57

48.56%

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

$330 ¥2,232

$284 R$1,453

15.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥83.5K

$5,381 R$27.5K

129.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.54 ¥254

$46.57 R$238

-19.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.48 ¥260

$45.12 R$231

-14.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ¥452

$74.9 R$383

-10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.0 ¥339

$67.0 R$342

-25.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ¥2,165

$229 R$1,171

39.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ¥1,237

$145 R$739

26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ¥4,138

$440 R$2,250

38.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ¥2,224

$334 R$1,705

-1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,785 ¥25.6K

$1,533 R$7,836

146.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,925 ¥13.0K

$682 R$3,485

182.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,278 ¥8,647

$373 R$1,905

242.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

9.59

-56.10%

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

Last update for Chengdu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bauru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $320 in Chengdu and $229 in Bauru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chengdu pays 243% 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 Bauru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $160 per month, with Bauru 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 Bauru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bauru wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Chengdu. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bauru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 243% 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 $229 in Bauru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bauru – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $24.00 in Chengdu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $677 per month in Chengdu versus $652 in Bauru – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Bauru 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 Bauru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Chengdu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.