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: $822 in Macaé versus $979 in Somerset West.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Macaé versus $1,602 in Somerset West.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,889 in Macaé versus $2,226 in Somerset West.

Living in Macaé costs roughly 16% less than in Somerset West, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Macaé 38% lower, Somerset West 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.76 R$29.47

$8.21 R 137

-29.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.84 R$178

$39.75 R 662

-12.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.22 R$31.82

$4.95 R 82.5

25.66%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$10.04

$1.99 R 33.15

-1.51%

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

$1.28 R$6.57

$0.80 R 13.31

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.30

$0.87 R 14.56

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.29

$2.56 R 42.72

-28.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 R$10.96

$2.47 R 41.17

-13.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.44

$0.88 R 14.64

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 R$8.19

$0.94 R 15.68

70.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.26

$1.92 R 31.97

-36.46%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.31

$2.09 R 34.75

-3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.98

$7.37 R 123

11.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 R$18.71

$4.94 R 82.3

-25.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 R$31.93

$7.38 R 123

-15.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 R$12.19

$1.57 R 26.18

51.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.36

$1.48 R 24.58

-16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.10

$1.45 R 24.15

-17.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.85

$1.58 R 26.37

-15.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.12 R 18.74

-6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.95

$1.22 R 20.38

-4.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 R$3.23

$1.08 R 18.07

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 R$2.22

$0.93 R 15.56

-53.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 R$9.86

$3.17 R 52.8

-39.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 R$30.67

$6.00 R 100

-0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R$4.78

$1.35 R 22.56

-31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 R$5.90

$1.72 R 28.67

-33.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 R$3.84

$1.67 R 27.81

-55.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 R$377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.39 R 23.13

-23.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$1.01 R 16.86

-29.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 R$38.76

$4.52 R 75.3

67.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.70

$1.20 R 19.92

-7.50%

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

$17.9K R$91.3K

$19.5K R 324.5K

-8.37%

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

$27.4K R$140.4K

$22.5K R 374.7K

21.94%

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

$59.7 R$305

$68.1 R 1,135

-12.41%

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

$9.70 R$49.63

$30.11 R 502

-67.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.55 R$94.9

$41.96 R 699

-55.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.38 R$196

$39.16 R 652

-1.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 R$137

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 R$31.37

$6.76 R 113

-9.32%

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

$546 R$2,795

$217 R 3,611

151.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,604 R$33.8K

$3,346 R 55.7K

97.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 R$230

$31.20 R 520

44.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.33 R$145

$27.43 R 457

3.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 R$371

$64.8 R 1,079

11.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 R$318

$64.4 R 1,072

-3.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 R$1,841

$620 R 10.3K

-41.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 R$1,190

$397 R 6,620

-41.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 R$3,394

$1,242 R 20.7K

-46.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 R$2,577

$871 R 14.5K

-42.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,256 R$6,426

$1,242 R 20.7K

1.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$775 R$3,964

$881 R 14.7K

-12.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 R$3,924

$1,393 R 23.2K

-44.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

10.5

7.14%

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

Last update for Macaé: July 26, 2026

Last update for Somerset West: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Macaé and $620 in Somerset West. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 82% 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: $35.00 in Macaé vs $40.00 in Somerset West for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $177 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 19% in total monthly costs ($822 vs $979 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 82% 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: $360 in Macaé versus $620 in Somerset West. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $546 in Macaé versus $217 in Somerset West. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $40.00 in Somerset West. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $822 in Macaé versus $979 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 19% less than in Somerset West. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.