For one person, living is cheaper in Macaé: $819 a month against $1,936 in Porto, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Porto and in Macaé actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,936 in Porto versus $819 in Macaé.
Porto $1,936
Macaé $819
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,902 in Porto versus $1,377 in Macaé.
Porto $2,902
Macaé $1,377
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,869 in Porto versus $1,935 in Macaé.
Porto $3,869
Macaé $1,935
🌍
Living in Porto is roughly 136% more expensive than in Macaé, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Porto is 43% above, Macaé is 39% below.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Porto
Macaé
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.53€12.94
$5.07R$27.72
186.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.2€49.15
$27.42R$150
101.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.22€10.00
$6.46R$35.28
73.68%
Cappuccino
$2.76€2.46
$1.59R$8.70
73.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.22€1.98
$1.23R$6.72
80.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31€1.16
$0.53R$2.92
147.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.26€2.91
$1.08R$5.88
201.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.59€4.09
$2.52R$13.79
82.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Porto
Macaé
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14€1.01
$0.94R$5.12
21.28%
White Bread(500g)
$1.74€1.55
$1.39R$7.61
25.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.47€1.31
$1.31R$7.17
12.21%
Eggs
$4.09€3.64
$1.84R$10.08
122.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.63€10.36
$8.37R$45.72
38.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.94€6.18
$3.13R$17.11
121.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.65€14.84
$8.69R$47.48
91.60%
Apples(1kg)
$2.21€1.97
$1.77R$9.66
24.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68€1.50
$1.05R$5.76
60.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.89€1.68
$0.89R$4.84
112.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.50€2.23
$1.16R$6.36
115.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.77€1.57
$0.64R$3.50
176.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.86€1.66
$0.79R$4.33
135.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.60€1.43
$0.53R$2.88
201.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75€0.67
$0.48R$2.63
56.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.75€6.01
$1.51R$8.26
347.02%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.57€4.96
$5.42R$29.62
2.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.34€1.19
$0.88R$4.82
52.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67€2.38
$1.17R$6.41
128.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Porto
Macaé
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.59€1.41
$1.48R$8.09
7.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.07€40.15
$77.1R$421
-41.52%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.96€3.53
$1.25R$6.84
216.80%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.82€0.73
$0.69R$3.78
18.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.66€14.84
$7.41R$40.46
124.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.17€1.93
$1.15R$6.27
88.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.3K€29.7K
$19.7KR$107.5K
69.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.2K€32.3K
$28.6KR$156.5K
26.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Porto
Macaé
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$163€145
$93.1R$509
75.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.92€13.29
$9.32R$50.9
60.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.60€30.82
$17.75R$97.0
94.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Porto
Macaé
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.69€38.92
$36.26R$198
20.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.37€13.69
$32.00R$175
-51.97%
Cinema Ticket
$9.01€8.02
$6.08R$33.24
48.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Porto
Macaé
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$557€496
$606R$3,313
-8.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.6K€10.3K
$6,674R$36.5K
73.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Porto
Macaé
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104€93.0
$58.6R$320
78.15%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.84€29.25
$29.21R$160
12.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.7€83.5
$61.3R$335
53.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102€91.3
$44.00R$240
132.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Porto
Macaé
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,325€1,181
$337R$1,843
292.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$970€864
$223R$1,220
334.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,276€2,027
$842R$4,598
170.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,704€1,518
$612R$3,345
178.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,306€4,727
$1,170R$6,391
353.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$3,956€3,524
$723R$3,948
447.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Porto
Macaé
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,621€1,444
$734R$4,009
120.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.64
10.67
-65.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Porto: November 3, 2026
Last update for Macaé: October 31, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Porto
$970 50.1%
Macaé
$223 27.3% ↓ 77%$747
🛒Groceries & Markets
Porto
$259 13.4%
Macaé
$156 19.1% ↓ 39.7%$103
🍽Eating Out
Porto
$223 11.5%
Macaé
$97 11.8% ↓ 56.6%$126
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Porto
$213 11%
Macaé
$120 14.7% ↓ 43.5%$93
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Porto
$150 7.8%
Macaé
$87 10.6% ↓ 42.1%$63
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Porto
$62 3.2%
Macaé
$48 5.9% ↓ 21.5%$13
🚌Getting Around
Porto
$59 3.1%
Macaé
$88 10.7% ↑ 47.5%$28
🏠Accommodation & Living
Porto
$1.7K 44%
Macaé
$612 31.6% ↓ 64.1%$1.1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Porto
$617 16%
Macaé
$364 18.8% ↓ 40.9%$253
🍽Eating Out
Porto
$725 18.8%
Macaé
$328 17% ↓ 54.8%$397
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Porto
$228 5.9%
Macaé
$130 6.7% ↓ 43.1%$98
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Porto
$333 8.6%
Macaé
$193 10% ↓ 42.1%$140
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Porto
$139 3.6%
Macaé
$129 6.7% ↓ 7.1%$9.9
🚌Getting Around
Porto
$122 3.2%
Macaé
$178 9.2% ↑ 46.1%$56
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,325 in Porto and $337 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Porto pays about 2.2 times 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: $55 in Porto vs $27 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $259 vs $156 per month, with Macaé cheaper across the board.
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
Porto vs Macaé: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Porto and in Macaé?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,936 in Porto and $819 in Macaé, so Macaé is about 58% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Porto or Macaé?
Average pay in Porto is about 2.2 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Porto and in Macaé?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,325 in Porto versus $337 in Macaé. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $27 versus $55 in Porto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Porto or Macaé?
All in, you’ll spend $1,936 per month in Porto versus $819 in Macaé – Macaé is about 58% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $819 in Macaé versus $1,936 in Porto, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Macaé but tight or insufficient in Porto. The gap between the two cities makes Macaé the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How do I decide between Porto and Macaé?
It comes down to priorities – Macaé wins on affordability, Porto on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.