Cost of Living Comparison Between Macaé and Somerset West Cost of Living Comparison Between Macaé and Somerset West

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $872 in Macaé versus $1,186 in Somerset West.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Macaé versus $1,965 in Somerset West.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,041 in Macaé versus $2,744 in Somerset West.

Living in Macaé costs roughly 26% less than in Somerset West, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Macaé 37% lower, Somerset West 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.44 R$27.88

$12.27 R 198

-55.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.64 R$152

$47.27 R 761

-37.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 R$35.30

$5.74 R 92.4

20.03%

Cappuccino

$1.72 R$8.83

$2.12 R 34.22

-18.87%

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

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.07 R 17.18

22.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.89

$0.95 R 15.33

-41.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 R$6.08

$2.73 R 44.01

-56.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.75

$3.46 R 55.7

-22.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.16

$1.05 R 16.92

-3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.55

$1.03 R 16.60

42.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.81

$2.13 R 34.38

-37.56%

Eggs

$1.99 R$10.19

$2.34 R 37.69

-14.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 R$45.78

$8.95 R 144

-0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.38 R$17.34

$5.44 R 87.5

-37.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 R$46.36

$9.71 R 156

-6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 R$9.70

$1.93 R 31.03

-2.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.77

$1.99 R 32.07

-43.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.53

$1.71 R 27.51

-48.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.38

$1.72 R 27.76

-27.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 R$3.30

$1.57 R 25.26

-59.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 R$4.28

$1.54 R 24.79

-45.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 R$2.82

$1.38 R 22.24

-60.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 R$2.63

$1.06 R 17.07

-51.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 R$7.91

$3.46 R 55.8

-55.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.81 R$29.79

$6.40 R 103

-9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.86

$1.44 R 23.12

-34.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.09

$1.84 R 29.56

-35.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 R$7.75

$1.21 R 19.43

24.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.2 R$411

$61.3 R 986

30.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 R$7.11

$0.65 R 10.41

113.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.71

$1.60 R 25.74

-55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.91 R$40.55

$5.06 R 81.4

56.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.52

$1.44 R 23.14

-11.81%

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

$21.0K R$107.5K

$30.3K R 487.4K

-30.70%

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

$30.4K R$155.6K

$30.0K R 483.3K

1.14%

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

$98.0 R$502

$86.2 R 1,388

13.70%

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

$9.76 R$50.1

$31.45 R 506

-68.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.71 R$95.9

$40.32 R 649

-53.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 R$202

$46.98 R 757

-16.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 R$149

$11.11 R 179

161.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 R$34.16

$7.44 R 120

-10.48%

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

$634 R$3,249

$265 R 4,267

139.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,022 R$36.0K

$3,814 R 61.4K

84.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 R$318

$32.05 R 516

93.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.23 R$160

$31.89 R 514

-2.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 R$344

$72.5 R 1,168

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.24 R$242

$59.7 R 961

-20.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 R$1,881

$670 R 10.8K

-45.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 R$1,184

$436 R 7,029

-47.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$883 R$4,529

$1,369 R 22.0K

-35.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 R$3,342

$978 R 15.7K

-33.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 R$6,350

$1,316 R 21.2K

-5.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 R$4,013

$921 R 14.8K

-15.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 R$3,930

$1,476 R 23.8K

-48.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

10.12

5.43%

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

Last update for Macaé: September 7, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $367 in Macaé and $670 in Somerset West. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 93% 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: $30.00 in Macaé vs $47.00 in Somerset West for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $209 per month, with Macaé 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

Macaé vs Somerset West: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Macaé and Somerset West differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($872 vs $1,186 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 93% lower in Somerset West. 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: $367 in Macaé versus $670 in Somerset West. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $47.00 in Somerset West. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $872 per month in Macaé versus $1,186 in Somerset West – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $872 in Macaé versus $1,186 in Somerset West, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macaé but tight or insufficient in Somerset West. The gap between the two cities makes Macaé 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, Macaé and Somerset West 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 Macaé gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Somerset West. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.