Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Porto

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Luis: $756 a month against $1,936 in Porto, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sao Luis, Brazil
Porto, Portugal
Sao Luis
🇧🇷 Brazil
$756
/mo nomad
Porto
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,936
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Luis and in Porto

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 Porto actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $756 per month in Sao Luis vs $1,936 in Porto, rent included.

  • Sao Luis $756
  • Porto $1,936

A couple spends around $1,224 per month in Sao Luis vs $2,902 in Porto, rent included.

  • Sao Luis $1,224
  • Porto $2,902

A family of three spends $1,691 per month in Sao Luis vs $3,869 in Porto, rent included.

  • Sao Luis $1,691
  • Porto $3,869

Sao Luis is about 61% cheaper than Porto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sao Luis sits 44% below the global median, while Porto is 43% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91 R$32.42
$14.53 €12.94
-59.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.72 R$201
$55.2 €49.12
-33.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.43 R$35.28
$11.22 €9.99
-42.69%
Cappuccino
$1.97 R$10.80
$2.76 €2.46
-28.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 R$6.40
$2.22 €1.98
-47.30%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 R$3.44
$1.31 €1.16
-51.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.89 R$10.36
$3.26 €2.91
-42.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 R$11.98
$4.59 €4.09
-52.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 R$5.39
$1.14 €1.01
-14.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 R$9.91
$1.74 €1.55
4.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.02 R$5.57
$1.47 €1.31
-30.61%
Eggs
$2.00 R$10.97
$4.09 €3.64
-51.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.19 R$50.4
$11.63 €10.36
-20.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.93 R$21.56
$6.94 €6.18
-43.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.01 R$38.48
$16.65 €14.83
-57.90%
Apples (1kg)
$2.02 R$11.10
$2.21 €1.97
-8.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.33 R$7.28
$1.68 €1.50
-20.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.14 R$6.26
$1.89 €1.68
-39.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 R$8.75
$2.50 €2.22
-36.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.23 R$6.78
$1.77 €1.57
-30.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.19 R$6.53
$1.86 €1.66
-36.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.78 R$4.27
$1.60 €1.43
-51.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 R$3.60
$0.75 €0.67
-12.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.16 R$11.85
$6.75 €6.01
-68.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.78 R$42.70
$5.57 €4.96
39.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 R$6.68
$1.34 €1.19
-8.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.17 R$11.92
$2.67 €2.38
-18.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 R$4.38
$1.59 €1.41
-49.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.84 R$197
$45.07 €40.13
-20.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.78 R$4.29
$3.96 €3.52
-80.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 R$3.16
$0.82 €0.73
-29.27%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$16.66 €14.83
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 R$6.20
$2.17 €1.93
-47.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K R$120.5K
$33.3K €29.7K
-34.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.2K R$154.8K
$36.2K €32.3K
-22.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.4 R$479
$163 €145
-46.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.62 R$91.2
$14.92 €13.29
11.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.92 R$109
$34.60 €30.81
-42.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.36 R$101
$43.69 €38.90
-57.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.50 R$79.6
$15.37 €13.68
-5.66%
Cinema Ticket
$7.35 R$40.35
$9.01 €8.02
-18.42%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$111 R$611
$557 €496
-80.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,603 R$14.3K
$11.6K €10.3K
-77.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.1 R$346
$104 €92.9
-39.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.3 R$314
$32.84 €29.24
74.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 R$423
$93.7 €83.5
-17.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.0 R$323
$102 €91.3
-42.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$317 R$1,740
$1,325 €1,180
-76.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$148 R$814
$970 €864
-84.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 R$2,674
$2,276 €2,027
-78.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$306 R$1,676
$1,704 €1,517
-82.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,633 R$8,960
$5,306 €4,724
-69.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$590 R$3,238
$3,956 €3,523
-85.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Luis
Porto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$362 R$1,988
$1,621 €1,443
-77.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.64
-

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

Last update for Sao Luis: November 2, 2026

Last update for Porto: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Sao Luis
$182
Porto
$259 42.6% $77
Accommodation & Living
Sao Luis
$148
Porto
$970 554% $822
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Luis
$124
Porto
$213 71.8% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Sao Luis
$115
Porto
$150 30% $35
Eating Out
Sao Luis
$111
Porto
$223 100% $111
Getting Around
Sao Luis
$43
Porto
$59 39.3% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Sao Luis
$33
Porto
$62 86.6% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Sao Luis versus $1,325 in Porto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Porto are about 4.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Sao Luis versus $55 in Porto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $259 – making Sao Luis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Sao Luis
🇵🇹 Porto
🕒 Local time
04:53 4:53 AM
07:53 7:53 AM
3 h ahead of Sao Luis
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,037,775
231,828
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.16 BRL (1 BRL = 0.162 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sao Luis Porto 6,050 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sao Luis
  • Porto

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 Porto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Sao Luis or Porto?
Porto costs about 156% more than Sao Luis, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Sao Luis and in Porto?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,135 per month in Sao Luis and $2,904 in Porto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Sao Luis or Porto?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Luis, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $317 there versus $1,325 in Porto.
How do childcare costs compare in Sao Luis and in Porto?
Kindergarten costs $111 per month in Sao Luis and $557 in Porto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Sao Luis or in Porto?
Groceries cost about 43% more in Porto, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,200/month in Sao Luis or in Porto?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Sao Luis, where all-in costs run around $756, than in Porto at $1,936. In Sao Luis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Porto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Sao Luis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Sao Luis or to Porto?
If budget matters most, go with Sao Luis. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Porto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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