Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Sao Luis versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,169 in Sao Luis versus $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,564 in Sao Luis versus $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Sao Luis costs roughly 19% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Luis 42% lower, Rio de Janeiro 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 R$25.36

$7.20 R$36.43

-30.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.50 R$154

$35.52 R$180

-14.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 R$37.09

$6.44 R$32.61

13.82%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R$10.38

$1.97 R$9.99

4.06%

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

$0.95 R$4.80

$1.27 R$6.45

-25.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.80

$0.90 R$4.54

-38.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.29

$1.76 R$8.93

4.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.16

$2.68 R$13.58

19.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.86

$1.16 R$5.88

-17.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 R$9.73

$1.70 R$8.59

12.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.13

$1.41 R$7.14

-28.37%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.00 R$10.11

-3.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 R$47.49

$8.05 R$40.72

16.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 R$18.71

$3.62 R$18.31

2.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R$36.49

$8.20 R$41.49

-12.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 R$9.43

$2.40 R$12.13

-22.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.10

$1.58 R$7.99

-23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.85

$1.49 R$7.56

-35.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.56 R$7.89

-12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.61

$1.30 R$6.60

-14.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.28

$1.10 R$5.58

12.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.02

$0.68 R$3.46

16.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.86

$0.58 R$2.93

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 R$10.25

$1.95 R$9.86

4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 R$40.62

$8.73 R$44.17

-8.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.56

$1.21 R$6.14

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R$9.82

$2.15 R$10.89

-9.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$4.02

$1.23 R$6.23

-35.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.80 R$181

$39.30 R$199

-8.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.74

$1.11 R$5.63

-15.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R$2.51

$0.71 R$3.61

-29.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 R$32.84

$7.37 R$37.30

-11.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.79

$1.07 R$5.43

-11.21%

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

$17.2K R$86.9K

$20.4K R$103.0K

-15.64%

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

$25.8K R$130.4K

$27.1K R$137.1K

-4.86%

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

$84.0 R$425

$104 R$525

-19.08%

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

$17.24 R$87.2

$12.18 R$61.6

41.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.25 R$82.2

$18.70 R$94.6

-13.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.13 R$91.7

$25.68 R$130

-29.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.52 R$78.5

$24.37 R$123

-36.32%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 R$30.32

$6.60 R$33.41

-9.24%

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

$204 R$1,030

$542 R$2,742

-62.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,284 R$21.7K

$11.8K R$59.7K

-63.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.54 R$225

$44.23 R$224

0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.88 R$242

$41.91 R$212

14.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 R$275

$76.8 R$389

-29.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 R$278

$62.0 R$314

-11.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 R$1,970

$438 R$2,218

-11.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 R$1,053

$331 R$1,672

-37.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 R$2,609

$838 R$4,242

-38.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 R$1,495

$569 R$2,881

-48.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,505 R$7,614

$3,356 R$17.0K

-55.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$723 R$3,660

$1,389 R$7,026

-47.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 R$1,927

$548 R$2,773

-30.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.33

-3.62%

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

Last update for Sao Luis: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Sao Luis and $438 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 44% 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: $31.00 in Sao Luis vs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $188 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 Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Luis and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($774 vs $960 including rent). Sao Luis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rio de Janeiro earns 44% 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 $438 in Rio de Janeiro. 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 $31.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Sao Luis versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Sao Luis versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. 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 24% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.