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: $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $764 in Sao Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,164 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,564 in Sao Luis.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Sao Luis 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.42

$4.92 R$25.07

49.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$180

$30.38 R$155

16.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.00

$7.40 R$37.69

-15.14%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.68

$2.06 R$10.48

-7.77%

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

$1.29 R$6.55

$0.96 R$4.87

34.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.64

$0.60 R$3.04

51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.91

$1.86 R$9.48

-5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.92

$3.20 R$16.27

-14.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.75

$0.98 R$4.98

15.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.70

$1.88 R$9.58

-9.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.26

$0.99 R$5.03

44.44%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.38

$1.87 R$9.50

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.43

$9.40 R$47.86

-17.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.75

$3.78 R$19.25

-7.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.77

$7.37 R$37.53

8.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.72

$1.94 R$9.89

18.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.01

$1.27 R$6.47

23.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.70

$0.99 R$5.05

52.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.87

$1.35 R$6.90

14.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.34

$1.16 R$5.90

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.68

$1.25 R$6.35

-10.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.26

$0.77 R$3.93

-16.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.89

$0.62 R$3.14

-8.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.18

$2.05 R$10.44

-2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.33

$7.96 R$40.55

-0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.41

$1.15 R$5.87

9.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.43

$1.92 R$9.76

6.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.56

$0.77 R$3.93

67.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$201

$34.77 R$177

13.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.43

$0.93 R$4.71

15.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.38

$0.49 R$2.49

34.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.64

$6.29 R$32.05

17.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.64

$0.98 R$4.98

13.27%

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

$20.7K R$105.3K

$17.0K R$86.8K

21.36%

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

$27.5K R$140.1K

$25.2K R$128.2K

9.25%

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

$103 R$524

$82.4 R$420

24.89%

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

$11.99 R$61.0

$17.31 R$88.2

-30.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.2

$16.28 R$82.9

13.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$18.44 R$93.9

41.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$124

$15.44 R$78.6

58.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.27

$6.24 R$31.79

1.60%

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

$554 R$2,820

$205 R$1,042

170.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.0K

$4,348 R$22.1K

170.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$230

$44.44 R$226

1.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$212

$46.93 R$239

-11.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$389

$53.7 R$273

42.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$315

$53.7 R$274

15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,260

$388 R$1,975

14.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,657

$208 R$1,057

56.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,311

$519 R$2,642

63.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,941

$299 R$1,525

92.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.6K

$1,470 R$7,486

148.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,509

$715 R$3,641

106.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,023

$375 R$1,909

58.37%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Rio de Janeiro and $388 in Sao Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 58% 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 Rio de Janeiro vs $30.00 in Sao Luis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $179 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 ($945 vs $764 including rent). Sao Luis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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: $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $388 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 $30.00 versus $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $945 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $764 in Sao Luis – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sao Luis gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.