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: $857 in Sao Luis versus $910 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,298 in Sao Luis versus $1,369 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,739 in Sao Luis versus $1,828 in Belem.

Living in Sao Luis costs roughly 6% less than in Belem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Luis 38% lower, Belem 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 R$32.63

$4.79 R$24.42

33.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.07 R$194

$19.23 R$98.1

97.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 R$34.54

$6.91 R$35.22

-2.03%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R$11.08

$1.92 R$9.79

13.02%

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

$1.23 R$6.28

$0.98 R$4.99

25.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.47 R$2.39

42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 R$9.77

$1.51 R$7.70

27.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.85

$2.36 R$12.05

-1.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.42

$1.29 R$6.57

-17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.37

$2.48 R$12.65

-25.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.40

$1.33 R$6.78

-20.30%

Eggs

$2.07 R$10.57

$2.17 R$11.05

-4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 R$50.1

$8.71 R$44.42

12.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 R$21.09

$4.31 R$21.99

-3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 R$37.74

$7.25 R$36.95

2.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.31

$2.32 R$11.81

-12.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.77

$1.38 R$7.03

-3.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$1.39 R$7.11

-16.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.29

$1.60 R$8.18

1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.82

$1.00 R$5.12

34.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.36

$0.56 R$2.86

123.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 R$4.32

$1.27 R$6.47

-33.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.52

$1.42 R$7.22

-51.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 R$11.90

$2.64 R$13.47

-11.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 R$41.02

$9.54 R$48.65

-15.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 R$6.34

$1.38 R$7.03

-10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 R$11.01

$4.95 R$25.24

-56.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R$3.93

$0.91 R$4.62

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.05 R$194

$34.15 R$174

11.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R$4.75

$1.15 R$5.84

-19.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R$4.61

$1.15 R$5.86

-21.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 R$42.68

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 R$5.98

$1.24 R$6.31

-5.65%

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

$23.2K R$118.2K

$23.0K R$117.5K

0.62%

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

$29.0K R$148.1K

$30.7K R$156.7K

-5.52%

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

$93.1 R$475

$95.5 R$487

-2.59%

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

$16.90 R$86.2

$11.18 R$57.0

51.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.64 R$105

$30.00 R$153

-31.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.76 R$101

$21.31 R$109

-7.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 R$74.0

$38.83 R$198

-62.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 R$38.48

$7.86 R$40.07

-3.94%

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

$222 R$1,135

$107 R$547

107.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,659 R$23.8K

$3,321 R$16.9K

40.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.59 R$243

$31.77 R$162

49.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 R$257

$43.20 R$220

16.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.7 R$289

$80.4 R$410

-29.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.1 R$291

$65.0 R$332

-12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 R$1,749

$511 R$2,604

-32.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 R$1,138

$272 R$1,387

-17.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 R$2,769

$843 R$4,301

-35.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,614

$507 R$2,586

-37.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,474 R$7,519

$1,941 R$9,900

-24.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$692 R$3,529

$1,394 R$7,107

-50.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 R$1,911

$407 R$2,074

-7.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

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

Last update for Sao Luis: August 31, 2026

Last update for Belem: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Sao Luis and $511 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belem pays 9% 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: $38.00 in Sao Luis vs $19.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $217, 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

Sao Luis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Belem. 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: $343 in Sao Luis versus $511 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sao Luis runs roughly 11% less than in Belem. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $222 in Sao Luis versus $107 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $857 in Sao Luis versus $910 in Belem, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Belem. 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 6% less than in Belem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.