Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Belem Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Belem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Sao Luis versus $772 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,169 in Sao Luis versus $1,253 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,564 in Sao Luis versus $1,734 in Belem.

Monthly costs are close between Sao Luis and Belem; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Luis 42% lower, Belem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 R$25.36

$4.43 R$22.39

13.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.50 R$154

$28.57 R$145

6.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 R$37.09

$6.16 R$31.15

18.99%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R$10.38

$1.59 R$8.07

28.93%

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

$0.95 R$4.80

$0.93 R$4.71

2.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.80

$0.44 R$2.20

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.29

$1.60 R$8.12

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.16

$3.70 R$18.74

-13.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.86

$1.16 R$5.86

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 R$9.73

$2.10 R$10.63

-8.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.13

$1.23 R$6.24

-17.89%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.02 R$10.21

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 R$47.49

$10.65 R$53.9

-11.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 R$18.71

$3.88 R$19.61

-4.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R$36.49

$6.50 R$32.88

10.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 R$9.43

$1.69 R$8.55

10.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.10

$1.66 R$8.40

-27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.85

$1.23 R$6.25

-21.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.45 R$7.35

-5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.61

$0.92 R$4.66

20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.28

$0.56 R$2.84

121.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.02

$1.03 R$5.22

-23.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.86

$1.34 R$6.78

-57.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 R$10.25

$2.38 R$12.04

-14.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 R$40.62

$9.65 R$48.83

-16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.56

$1.36 R$6.88

-19.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R$9.82

$4.43 R$22.42

-56.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$4.02

$0.69 R$3.48

14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.80 R$181

$21.60 R$109

65.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.74

$1.05 R$5.30

-10.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R$2.51

$0.72 R$3.62

-30.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 R$32.84

$9.12 R$46.14

-28.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.79

$1.08 R$5.46

-12.04%

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

$17.2K R$86.9K

$16.2K R$81.7K

6.30%

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

$25.8K R$130.4K

$28.9K R$146.3K

-10.83%

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

$84.0 R$425

$110 R$557

-23.74%

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

$17.24 R$87.2

$14.40 R$72.8

19.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.25 R$82.2

$21.23 R$107

-23.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.13 R$91.7

$20.77 R$105

-12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.52 R$78.5

$21.71 R$110

-28.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 R$30.32

$6.32 R$31.99

-5.22%

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

$204 R$1,030

$97.4 R$493

108.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,284 R$21.7K

$3,133 R$15.9K

36.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.54 R$225

$32.96 R$167

35.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.88 R$242

$28.72 R$145

66.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 R$275

$75.0 R$379

-27.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 R$278

$41.69 R$211

32.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 R$1,970

$442 R$2,237

-11.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 R$1,053

$185 R$938

12.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 R$2,609

$815 R$4,123

-36.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 R$1,495

$457 R$2,314

-35.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,505 R$7,614

$1,996 R$10.1K

-24.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$723 R$3,660

$1,420 R$7,186

-49.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 R$1,927

$392 R$1,982

-2.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

12.2

-10.49%

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

Last update for Sao Luis: June 1, 2026

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Sao Luis and $442 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belem pays 3% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $31.00 in Sao Luis vs $29.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $177 vs $206, with Sao Luis cheaper for home cooking.

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 Belem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Belem earns 3% less. 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: $389 in Sao Luis versus $442 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 66% less than in Sao Luis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Sao Luis pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Belem 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.

It comes down to priorities – Belem wins on affordability, Sao Luis on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.