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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $857 in Sao Luis versus $957 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,298 in Sao Luis versus $1,566 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,739 in Sao Luis versus $2,176 in Brasilia.

Living in Sao Luis costs roughly 10% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Luis 38% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 R$32.63

$8.61 R$43.93

-25.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.07 R$194

$39.06 R$199

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 R$34.54

$8.00 R$40.79

-15.38%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R$11.08

$2.55 R$12.98

-14.90%

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

$1.23 R$6.28

$1.45 R$7.40

-15.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.96 R$4.92

-30.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 R$9.77

$2.26 R$11.52

-15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.85

$3.89 R$19.85

-40.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.42

$1.07 R$5.45

-0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.37

$2.04 R$10.40

-9.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.40

$1.26 R$6.42

-15.87%

Eggs

$2.07 R$10.57

$2.44 R$12.45

-15.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.82 R$50.1

$12.06 R$61.5

-18.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 R$21.09

$4.06 R$20.72

1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 R$37.74

$8.24 R$42.05

-10.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.31

$2.34 R$11.96

-13.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.77

$1.42 R$7.24

-6.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$1.27 R$6.49

-8.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.29

$1.65 R$8.44

-1.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.82

$1.16 R$5.90

15.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.36

$1.01 R$5.15

23.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 R$4.32

$0.83 R$4.23

2.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.52

$0.98 R$4.98

-29.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 R$11.90

$2.39 R$12.16

-2.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 R$41.02

$7.99 R$40.75

0.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 R$6.34

$1.30 R$6.64

-4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 R$11.01

$2.40 R$12.22

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R$3.93

$0.92 R$4.67

-16.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.05 R$194

$35.15 R$179

8.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R$4.75

$1.05 R$5.36

-11.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 R$4.61

$0.85 R$4.35

5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 R$30.43

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 R$5.98

$1.28 R$6.53

-8.59%

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

$23.2K R$118.2K

$22.6K R$115.4K

2.49%

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

$29.0K R$148.1K

$32.1K R$163.7K

-9.53%

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

$93.1 R$475

$91.1 R$464

2.20%

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

$16.90 R$86.2

$12.43 R$63.4

35.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.64 R$105

$22.55 R$115

-8.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.76 R$101

$31.51 R$161

-37.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 R$74.0

$26.35 R$134

-44.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 R$38.48

$7.86 R$40.06

-3.94%

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

$222 R$1,135

$813 R$4,147

-72.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,659 R$23.8K

$16.3K R$83.2K

-71.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.59 R$243

$52.2 R$266

-8.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 R$257

$43.67 R$223

15.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.7 R$289

$82.7 R$422

-31.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.1 R$291

$86.5 R$441

-33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 R$1,749

$500 R$2,551

-31.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$223 R$1,138

$266 R$1,357

-16.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 R$2,769

$1,133 R$5,778

-52.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,614

$562 R$2,865

-43.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,474 R$7,519

$2,411 R$12.3K

-38.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$692 R$3,529

$1,705 R$8,695

-59.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 R$1,911

$876 R$4,467

-57.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

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

Last update for Sao Luis: August 31, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Sao Luis and $500 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 134% 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 $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $209 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

Sao Luis vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Luis and Brasilia differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($857 vs $957 including rent). Sao Luis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 134% lower in Brasilia. 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 $500 in Brasilia. 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 $38.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $857 per month in Sao Luis versus $957 in Brasilia – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $857 in Sao Luis versus $957 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. 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 12% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.