Cost of Living Comparison Between Natal and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Natal and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $678 per month in Natal vs $694 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,104 per month in Natal vs $1,080 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,529 per month in Natal vs $1,465 in Chengdu, rent included.

Natal is about 2% cheaper than Chengdu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Natal and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Natal 49% lower, Chengdu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.99 R$25.23

$2.75 ¥18.59

81.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.88 R$141

$23.33 ¥158

19.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.15 R$31.09

$4.77 ¥32.31

28.93%

Cappuccino

$1.78 R$8.98

$2.90 ¥19.61

-38.62%

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

$0.89 R$4.49

$0.47 ¥3.17

89.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 R$2.51

$0.28 ¥1.89

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.09 ¥7.41

28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 R$10.85

$2.11 ¥14.27

1.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.72

$1.80 ¥12.18

-37.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 R$6.05

$1.47 ¥9.95

-18.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.07

$0.92 ¥6.22

8.70%

Eggs

$1.91 R$9.64

$1.91 ¥12.92

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 R$32.27

$13.42 ¥90.9

-52.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 R$17.90

$3.51 ¥23.78

0.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R$36.50

$11.15 ¥75.5

-35.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 R$10.37

$1.90 ¥12.89

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.43

$1.17 ¥7.95

-24.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.33

$1.52 ¥10.31

-43.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.69

$1.08 ¥7.29

4.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.72

$0.66 ¥4.50

40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.10

$0.74 ¥5.03

36.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 R$2.73

$0.55 ¥3.74

-1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.83

$0.58 ¥3.91

-3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.61 R$8.14

$3.28 ¥22.24

-50.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 R$39.67

$5.38 ¥36.40

45.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.02

$0.99 ¥6.68

20.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 R$8.42

$1.79 ¥12.10

-7.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$4.00

$0.44 ¥2.98

79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.77 R$156

$28.36 ¥192

8.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 R$4.42

$1.27 ¥8.62

-31.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 R$2.65

$0.28 ¥1.90

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 R$17.76

$4.12 ¥27.90

-14.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.13 ¥7.64

-3.54%

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

$16.5K R$83.3K

$18.8K ¥127.4K

-12.49%

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

$21.7K R$109.5K

$16.1K ¥108.7K

34.89%

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

$43.64 R$221

$44.86 ¥304

-2.72%

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

$15.49 R$78.3

$11.76 ¥79.7

31.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.72 R$84.6

$11.52 ¥78.0

45.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.09 R$107

$24.05 ¥163

-12.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.13 R$147

$11.27 ¥76.3

158.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 R$34.38

$5.56 ¥37.65

22.30%

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

$116 R$586

$336 ¥2,273

-65.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,304 R$21.8K

$12.5K ¥84.3K

-65.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.08 R$213

$36.57 ¥248

15.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 R$212

$37.84 ¥256

10.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 R$351

$67.7 ¥458

2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 R$366

$51.3 ¥347

40.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 R$1,539

$312 ¥2,115

-2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 R$858

$184 ¥1,248

-7.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 R$2,839

$604 ¥4,090

-7.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,701

$322 ¥2,180

4.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,386 R$7,010

$3,688 ¥25.0K

-62.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$876 R$4,431

$1,923 ¥13.0K

-54.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$408 R$2,062

$1,263 ¥8,551

-67.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

185.04%

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

Last update for Natal: July 20, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $304 in Natal versus $312 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 210% higher in Chengdu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Natal versus $23.00 in Chengdu. Groceries tell a different story – $157 in Natal vs $195 in Chengdu – so Natal wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Natal vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $678 in Natal, $694 in Chengdu – roughly 2% apart. Chengdu costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,018 per month in Natal and $1,042 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Natal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Natal and $23.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $678 in Natal and $694 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $678 in Natal and $694 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Natal has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $678 in Natal to $694 in Chengdu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Natal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chengdu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.