Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Pelotas

For one person, living is cheaper in Pelotas: $759 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $50,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index
37

Cost of Living Index in Pelotas
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Pelotas Living Index

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New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Pelotas

🇧🇷 Brazil

$759

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Pelotas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in New York, NY and in Pelotas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,950 per month in New York, NY vs $759 in Pelotas, rent included.

New York, NY $4,950
Pelotas $759

A couple spends around $7,265 per month in New York, NY vs $1,178 in Pelotas, rent included.

New York, NY $7,265
Pelotas $1,178

A family of three spends $9,581 per month in New York, NY vs $1,598 in Pelotas, rent included.

New York, NY $9,581
Pelotas $1,598

New York, NY costs about 552% more than Pelotas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

New York, NY sits 267% above the global median, while Pelotas is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.65 $24.65

$6.16 R$31.21

300.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$17.70 R$89.7

586.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$6.66 R$33.78

108.86%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$2.49 R$12.64

164.66%

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

$3.84 $3.84

$1.35 R$6.86

184.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.72 R$3.65

298.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$1.46 R$7.41

433.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$1.55 R$7.87

535.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.88 R$4.47

56.82%

White Bread (500g)

$4.68 $4.68

$1.19 R$6.03

293.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$0.91 R$4.61

728.57%

Eggs

$5.93 $5.93

$2.31 R$11.69

156.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$10.16 R$51.5

85.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.36 $17.36

$4.72 R$23.91

267.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.51 $18.51

$9.74 R$49.37

90.04%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$2.47 R$12.54

172.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.19 R$6.01

75.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$1.40 R$7.11

333.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$1.22 R$6.19

452.46%

Potato (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.21 R$6.15

234.71%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$0.98 R$4.98

345.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$0.87 R$4.41

232.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$0.51 R$2.59

409.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.72 $18.72

$2.38 R$12.08

686.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.06 $20.06

$7.50 R$38.01

167.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$0.68 R$3.44

377.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.01 R$5.14

269.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.23 R$6.25

148.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 $140

$52.5 R$266

167.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.31 R$6.66

132.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.80 R$4.03

168.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.82 $41.82

$8.27 R$41.92

405.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.28 R$6.50

-12.50%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$23.5K R$119.3K

50.66%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$33.8K R$171.4K

-22.98%

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

$219 $219

$77.7 R$394

181.72%

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

$73.2 $73.2

$7.73 R$39.19

846.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$20.15 R$102

257.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$19.80 R$100

519.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.7 $67.7

$20.13 R$102

236.16%

Cinema Ticket

$22.85 $22.85

$4.95 R$25.08

361.62%

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

$3,333 $3,333

$573 R$2,902

482.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$60.0K $60.0K

$24.2K R$122.5K

148.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.2 $75.2

$35.20 R$178

113.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 $52.4

$30.28 R$154

73.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 $122

$60.6 R$307

100.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$81.0 R$410

64.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,389 $4,389

$237 R$1,202

1750.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,130 $3,130

$166 R$843

1782.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,918 $8,918

$390 R$1,978

2185.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,354 $5,354

$316 R$1,603

1592.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.4K $19.4K

$1,579 R$8,004

1128.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,806 $6,806

$802 R$4,065

748.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,343 $5,343

$460 R$2,331

1061.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

11.5

-40.70%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Last update for Pelotas: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2%

Pelotas

$166 21.9% 94.7% $3K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$545 11%

Pelotas

$184 24.2% 66.3% $361

Eating Out

New York, NY

$404 8.2%

Pelotas

$118 15.5% 70.8% $286

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$364 7.4%

Pelotas

$106 13.9% 71% $259

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$172 3.5%

Pelotas

$93 12.3% 45.8% $79

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Pelotas

$30 3.9% 82.4% $139

Getting Around

New York, NY

$167 3.4%

Pelotas

$63 8.3% 62.4% $104

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,389 in New York, NY versus $237 in Pelotas. 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 1062% higher in New York, NY, 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 $122 in New York, NY versus $18.00 in Pelotas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $545 vs $184 – making Pelotas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇧🇷 Pelotas

🕒 Local time

12:07 12:07 PM

13:07 1:07 PM

1 h ahead of New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

325,685

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

New York, NY Pelotas 8,360 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Pelotas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

New York, NY vs Pelotas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 552% more than Pelotas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,424 per month in New York, NY and $1,139 in Pelotas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $3,333 per month in New York, NY and $573 in Pelotas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 197% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pelotas, where all-in costs run around $759, than in New York, NY at $4,950. In Pelotas it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Pelotas costs $759 versus $4,950 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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