Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Luis Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Luis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $774 in Sao Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,169 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,564 in Sao Luis.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 24% more expensive than Sao Luis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Sao Luis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.43

$5.01 R$25.36

43.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$180

$30.50 R$154

16.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.61

$7.33 R$37.09

-12.14%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.99

$2.05 R$10.38

-3.90%

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

$1.27 R$6.45

$0.95 R$4.80

33.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.54

$0.55 R$2.80

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.93

$1.84 R$9.29

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.58

$3.19 R$16.16

-15.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.88

$0.96 R$4.86

20.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.59

$1.92 R$9.73

-11.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$1.01 R$5.13

39.60%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$1.93 R$9.77

3.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.72

$9.39 R$47.49

-14.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.31

$3.70 R$18.71

-2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.49

$7.21 R$36.49

13.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.13

$1.86 R$9.43

29.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.99

$1.21 R$6.10

30.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.56

$0.96 R$4.85

55.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.89

$1.37 R$6.91

13.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$1.11 R$5.61

17.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.24 R$6.28

-11.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

$0.79 R$4.02

-13.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.93

$0.57 R$2.86

1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$2.03 R$10.25

-3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.17

$8.03 R$40.62

8.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.14

$1.10 R$5.56

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.89

$1.94 R$9.82

10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.23

$0.79 R$4.02

55.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$199

$35.80 R$181

9.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.63

$0.94 R$4.74

18.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$0.50 R$2.51

42.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.30

$6.49 R$32.84

13.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.43

$0.95 R$4.79

12.63%

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

$20.4K R$103.0K

$17.2K R$86.9K

18.54%

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

$27.1K R$137.1K

$25.8K R$130.4K

5.10%

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

$104 R$525

$84.0 R$425

23.58%

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

$12.18 R$61.6

$17.24 R$87.2

-29.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$94.6

$16.25 R$82.2

15.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$130

$18.13 R$91.7

41.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$123

$15.52 R$78.5

57.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.41

$5.99 R$30.32

10.18%

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

$542 R$2,742

$204 R$1,030

166.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.7K

$4,284 R$21.7K

175.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$224

$44.54 R$225

-0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$212

$47.88 R$242

-12.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$389

$54.3 R$275

41.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$314

$55.0 R$278

12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,218

$389 R$1,970

12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,672

$208 R$1,053

58.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,242

$516 R$2,609

62.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,881

$295 R$1,495

92.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.0K

$1,505 R$7,614

123.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,026

$723 R$3,660

91.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,773

$381 R$1,927

43.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.92

3.75%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $389 in Sao Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 44% 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: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $31.00 in Sao Luis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $177 per month, with Sao Luis 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

Rio de Janeiro vs Sao Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Sao Luis differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $774 including rent). Sao Luis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 44% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $389 in Sao Luis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Luis – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $774 in Sao Luis – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Sao Luis versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Luis 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.

Expats usually find Sao Luis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.