Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Luis: $834 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $22,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Sao Luis
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Sao Luis Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Sao Luis

🇧🇷 Brazil

$834

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Luis and in Austin, TX

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $834 in Sao Luis versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Sao Luis $834
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,310 in Sao Luis versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Sao Luis $1,310
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Sao Luis versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Sao Luis $1,786
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Sao Luis costs roughly 69% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Luis is 38% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.60 R$32.93

$20.22 $20.22

-67.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.74 R$198

$85.0 $85.0

-53.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.82 R$34.03

$12.35 $12.35

-44.78%

Cappuccino

$2.15 R$10.71

$5.47 $5.47

-60.69%

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

$1.27 R$6.33

$3.82 $3.82

-66.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.65

$2.50 $2.50

-70.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 R$9.77

$8.06 $8.06

-75.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 R$12.16

$8.99 $8.99

-72.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.52

$1.13 $1.13

-1.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 R$9.64

$3.78 $3.78

-48.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.54

$3.25 $3.25

-65.85%

Eggs

$2.27 R$11.31

$4.14 $4.14

-45.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 R$50.6

$13.08 $13.08

-22.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 R$21.36

$14.31 $14.31

-70.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 R$38.12

$15.96 $15.96

-52.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 R$10.55

$4.38 $4.38

-51.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 R$6.95

$1.45 $1.45

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.09

$4.54 $4.54

-73.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.64

$4.19 $4.19

-58.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.64

$2.63 $2.63

-49.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.67

$2.36 $2.36

-43.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 R$4.47

$1.76 $1.76

-48.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.62

$2.16 $2.16

-66.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 R$12.17

$9.81 $9.81

-75.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 R$41.00

$14.72 $14.72

-44.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.36

$2.78 $2.78

-54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.60

$3.48 $3.48

-33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 R$4.27

$1.49 $1.49

-42.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.52 R$192

$40.51 $40.51

-4.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.12

$2.67 $2.67

-61.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R$4.70

$1.58 $1.58

-40.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 R$6.05

$0.99 $0.99

22.22%

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

$24.2K R$120.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

-32.51%

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

$30.4K R$151.5K

$27.2K $27.2K

11.71%

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

$97.5 R$487

$219 $219

-55.55%

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

$18.02 R$90.0

$58.0 $58.0

-68.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.42 R$107

$68.4 $68.4

-68.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.11 R$100

$57.9 $57.9

-65.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.27 R$76.2

$14.82 $14.82

3.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 R$34.14

$14.13 $14.13

-51.59%

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

$183 R$915

$1,509 $1,509

-87.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,911 R$14.5K

$21.5K $21.5K

-86.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 R$323

$51.7 $51.7

25.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 R$273

$44.05 $44.05

23.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 R$375

$85.1 $85.1

-11.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.0 R$294

$105 $105

-44.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 R$1,812

$1,932 $1,932

-81.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 R$935

$1,272 $1,272

-85.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,893

$3,670 $3,670

-84.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 R$1,648

$2,525 $2,525

-86.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 R$7,864

$7,617 $7,617

-79.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$721 R$3,598

$3,199 $3,199

-77.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$386 R$1,929

$5,105 $5,105

-92.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

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

Last update for Sao Luis: October 3, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Sao Luis

$197 23.6%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 104% $205

Accommodation & Living

Sao Luis

$187 22.3%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 579% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Luis

$137 16.3%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 153% $209

Eating Out

Sao Luis

$122 14.5%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 186% $226

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Luis

$114 13.6%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 12.9% $15

Getting Around

Sao Luis

$48 5.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 19.6% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Luis

$34 4%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 155% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $363 in Sao Luis and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1221% 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: $40.00 in Sao Luis vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $403 per month, with Sao Luis cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Luis

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

10:01 10:01 AM

08:01 8:01 AM

2 h behind Sao Luis

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,037,775

974,447

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

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Between locations

Sao Luis Austin, TX 6,730 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Luis
Austin, TX

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

Sao Luis vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Luis wins on cost – living expenses run 224% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sao Luis the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1221% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $363 in Sao Luis versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $834 per month in Sao Luis versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 224% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sao Luis runs roughly 5% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $834 in Sao Luis versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. 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 224% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.