Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Carlos and Settat Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Carlos and Settat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Sao Carlos vs $666 in Settat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,679 per month in Sao Carlos vs $1,026 in Settat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,389 per month in Sao Carlos vs $1,386 in Settat, rent included.

Sao Carlos costs about 45% more than Settat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sao Carlos and Settat are more affordable than the global median – Sao Carlos 29% lower, Settat 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 R$24.16

$3.20 MAD 29.90

47.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.17 R$201

$32.56 MAD 305

20.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 R$34.44

$6.56 MAD 61.4

2.44%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R$10.68

$1.15 MAD 10.75

80.87%

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

$1.29 R$6.59

$0.47 MAD 4.40

174.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$3.92

$0.38 MAD 3.52

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 R$7.98

$1.27 MAD 11.88

22.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 R$13.54

$1.65 MAD 15.44

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 R$6.90

$0.89 MAD 8.36

51.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 R$9.69

$0.86 MAD 8.06

119.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.21

$1.62 MAD 15.18

11.11%

Eggs

$2.88 R$14.78

$2.00 MAD 18.68

44.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.06 R$61.8

$8.03 MAD 75.1

50.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.25 R$26.88

$5.48 MAD 51.3

-4.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 R$47.62

$12.02 MAD 112

-22.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 R$13.63

$1.68 MAD 15.76

58.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.33

$1.49 MAD 13.92

22.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.88

$0.99 MAD 9.26

74.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 R$9.47

$0.77 MAD 7.24

140.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 R$8.52

$0.75 MAD 7.00

121.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 R$7.03

$0.81 MAD 7.53

69.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 R$4.70

$0.26 MAD 2.44

253.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 R$5.83

$0.52 MAD 4.88

119.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 R$16.21

$4.32 MAD 40.43

-26.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$41.25

$8.21 MAD 76.8

-1.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 R$7.32

$2.31 MAD 21.63

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$15.13

$3.45 MAD 32.30

-14.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.99

$0.42 MAD 3.91

130.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.38 R$120

$10.60 MAD 99.2

120.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 R$7.65

$0.79 MAD 7.35

88.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 R$4.75

$0.68 MAD 6.34

36.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 R$18.11

$7.37 MAD 69.0

-52.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.57 MAD 14.73

-21.66%

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

$19.1K R$97.9K

$35.2K MAD 328.9K

-45.67%

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

$30.7K R$157.4K

$30.5K MAD 285.4K

0.68%

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

$61.2 R$313

$21.41 MAD 200

185.71%

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

$13.48 R$69.1

$5.45 MAD 51.0

147.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.27 R$124

$37.95 MAD 355

-36.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.74 R$168

$19.52 MAD 183

67.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.41 R$238

$10.78 MAD 101

330.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.42 R$27.76

$6.66 MAD 62.3

-18.62%

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

$286 R$1,464

$106 MAD 991

169.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,914 R$14.9K

$8,646 MAD 80.9K

-66.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 R$411

$32.76 MAD 306

144.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$93.1 R$477

$47.54 MAD 445

95.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 R$704

$84.4 MAD 790

62.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 R$817

$87.5 MAD 818

82.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$261 R$1,339

$219 MAD 2,046

19.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 R$1,139

$162 MAD 1,514

37.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 R$3,393

$870 MAD 8,138

-23.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 R$3,289

$235 MAD 2,197

173.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$815 R$4,178

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$723 R$3,702

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 R$3,351

$220 MAD 2,054

197.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

3.5

207.14%

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

Last update for Sao Carlos: August 31, 2026

Last update for Settat: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $261 in Sao Carlos versus $219 in Settat. 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 198% higher in Sao Carlos, 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 $39.00 in Sao Carlos versus $33.00 in Settat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $191 – making Settat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Sao Carlos vs Settat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Carlos costs about 45% more than Settat, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,453 per month in Sao Carlos and $999 in Settat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 24% more in Sao Carlos, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Sao Carlos and $33.00 in Settat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $969 in Sao Carlos and $666 in Settat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Settat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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