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: $689 in Chengdu versus $644 in Bauru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,083 in Chengdu versus $1,070 in Bauru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,477 in Chengdu versus $1,497 in Bauru.

Living in Chengdu is roughly 7% more expensive than Bauru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.30

$4.97 R$24.87

-42.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ¥162

$21.71 R$109

10.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.72

$6.14 R$30.73

-18.73%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥18.73

$1.39 R$6.95

99.28%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.86 R$4.29

-46.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.56 R$2.78

-46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.40 R$6.99

-19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.43

$2.41 R$12.05

-11.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$0.84 R$4.19

114.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.38

$1.30 R$6.49

6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$1.13 R$5.63

-20.35%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.59

$2.28 R$11.39

-18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.1

$6.38 R$31.92

113.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$3.88 R$19.41

-8.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥76.0

$5.18 R$25.90

116.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.61

$1.94 R$9.70

-4.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.38 R$6.92

-14.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$1.07 R$5.33

40.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.01

$1.73 R$8.65

-39.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.73

$1.30 R$6.50

-46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$1.18 R$5.89

-40.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.95 R$4.77

-41.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.68 R$3.40

-10.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ¥21.91

$1.83 R$9.14

77.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.77

$6.83 R$34.20

-20.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.78

$1.06 R$5.29

-5.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.67

$1.58 R$7.90

18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.88 R$4.42

-53.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.31 ¥185

$26.69 R$134

2.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.69 R$3.43

76.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.58 R$2.90

-55.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ¥27.62

$4.55 R$22.76

-10.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$0.93 R$4.63

22.58%

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

$18.7K ¥126.6K

$21.5K R$107.7K

-13.06%

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

$16.0K ¥108.4K

$28.3K R$141.7K

-43.35%

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

$45.05 ¥305

$50.9 R$255

-11.49%

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

$11.69 ¥79.1

$11.90 R$59.5

-1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥77.0

$20.08 R$101

-43.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 ¥166

$20.10 R$101

21.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ¥75.5

$19.57 R$97.9

-42.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ¥37.45

$3.84 R$19.20

44.27%

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

$333 ¥2,249

$284 R$1,421

17.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥82.1K

$5,305 R$26.5K

128.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.92 ¥256

$46.89 R$235

-19.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.57 ¥261

$44.64 R$223

-13.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$74.9 R$375

-10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 ¥343

$69.2 R$346

-26.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥2,149

$232 R$1,160

37.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,213

$149 R$746

20.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,128

$444 R$2,223

37.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥2,263

$337 R$1,685

-0.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 ¥25.8K

$1,601 R$8,013

137.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 ¥13.0K

$695 R$3,480

176.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,257 ¥8,501

$381 R$1,909

229.60%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bauru: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $318 in Chengdu and $232 in Bauru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chengdu pays 230% 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 $196 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 7% 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.

Chengdu pays 230% 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: $318 in Chengdu versus $232 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 $689 per month in Chengdu versus $644 in Bauru – a 7% 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 7% less than in Chengdu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.