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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $764 in Sao Luis versus $1,054 in Sao Paulo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Sao Luis versus $1,663 in Sao Paulo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,564 in Sao Luis versus $2,271 in Sao Paulo.

Living in Sao Luis costs roughly 27% less than in Sao Paulo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Luis 43% lower, Sao Paulo 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 R$25.16

$7.27 R$37.18

-32.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.38 R$155

$39.06 R$200

-22.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 R$37.83

$7.11 R$36.31

4.08%

Cappuccino

$2.06 R$10.52

$2.07 R$10.60

-0.48%

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

$0.96 R$4.89

$1.21 R$6.17

-20.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.05

$0.85 R$4.35

-29.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 R$9.52

$2.10 R$10.74

-11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 R$16.33

$2.89 R$14.77

10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.00

$1.06 R$5.43

-7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 R$9.62

$1.86 R$9.51

1.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.05

$1.29 R$6.60

-23.26%

Eggs

$1.87 R$9.53

$2.36 R$12.08

-20.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$48.04

$10.98 R$56.1

-14.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 R$19.32

$4.34 R$22.16

-12.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 R$37.67

$9.29 R$47.48

-20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 R$9.92

$2.83 R$14.44

-31.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$1.84 R$9.39

-30.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.07

$1.63 R$8.31

-39.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.92

$1.76 R$9.00

-23.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$1.38 R$7.05

-15.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.37

$1.25 R$6.39

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.95

$0.99 R$5.06

-22.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.15

$0.73 R$3.73

-15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 R$10.48

$2.48 R$12.67

-17.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.70

$9.78 R$50.0

-18.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R$5.89

$1.37 R$6.98

-16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 R$9.80

$2.38 R$12.14

-19.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R$3.95

$0.94 R$4.80

-18.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.77 R$178

$44.40 R$227

-21.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R$4.73

$1.11 R$5.67

-16.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 R$2.50

$0.71 R$3.65

-30.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 R$32.17

$9.11 R$46.57

-30.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 R$4.99

$1.05 R$5.37

-6.67%

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

$17.0K R$87.1K

$22.0K R$112.6K

-22.68%

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

$25.2K R$128.7K

$27.9K R$142.8K

-9.88%

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

$82.4 R$421

$53.8 R$275

53.38%

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

$17.31 R$88.5

$13.21 R$67.5

31.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.28 R$83.2

$20.27 R$104

-19.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.44 R$94.2

$29.44 R$150

-37.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.44 R$78.9

$35.62 R$182

-56.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 R$31.91

$8.16 R$41.71

-23.53%

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

$205 R$1,046

$505 R$2,583

-59.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,348 R$22.2K

$15.3K R$78.0K

-71.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.44 R$227

$50.9 R$260

-12.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.93 R$240

$42.52 R$217

10.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.7 R$274

$79.2 R$405

-32.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 R$275

$72.7 R$371

-26.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 R$1,982

$659 R$3,370

-41.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 R$1,061

$409 R$2,089

-49.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 R$2,652

$1,287 R$6,579

-59.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 R$1,531

$751 R$3,837

-60.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,470 R$7,514

$2,740 R$14.0K

-46.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 R$3,655

$1,983 R$10.1K

-63.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 R$1,916

$839 R$4,288

-55.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

11.56

-5.54%

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

Last update for Sao Luis: July 14, 2026

Last update for Sao Paulo: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Sao Luis and $659 in Sao Paulo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 124% 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: $30.00 in Sao Luis vs $39.00 in Sao Paulo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $217 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 Sao Paulo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Luis and Sao Paulo differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($764 vs $1,054 including rent). Sao Luis is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 124% lower in Sao Paulo. 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: $388 in Sao Luis versus $659 in Sao Paulo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Sao Paulo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Luis – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $39.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $764 in Sao Luis versus $1,054 in Sao Paulo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sao Luis but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. 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 38% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.