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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $773 in Sao Luis versus $632 in Zhongshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,162 in Sao Luis versus $995 in Zhongshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in Sao Luis versus $1,359 in Zhongshan.

Living in Sao Luis is roughly 22% more expensive than in Zhongshan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Luis 42% lower, Zhongshan 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.05 R$25.62

$2.80 ¥18.96

80.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.83 R$156

$17.03 ¥115

81.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R$36.90

$4.29 ¥29.02

69.46%

Cappuccino

$2.14 R$10.85

$2.73 ¥18.48

-21.61%

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

$0.95 R$4.84

$0.41 ¥2.76

131.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 R$2.75

$0.29 ¥1.97

86.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 R$9.69

$0.67 ¥4.52

185.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 R$16.08

$1.64 ¥11.09

93.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.09

$1.74 ¥11.76

-42.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 R$9.55

$1.73 ¥11.72

8.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.14

$0.92 ¥6.19

9.78%

Eggs

$1.94 R$9.87

$1.63 ¥11.03

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 R$46.35

$12.63 ¥85.5

-27.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 R$18.60

$2.59 ¥17.54

41.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 R$36.24

$12.57 ¥85.1

-43.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R$9.54

$1.82 ¥12.30

3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.21

$1.00 ¥6.79

22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.86

$0.60 ¥4.08

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.34 ¥9.03

4.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.89

$0.51 ¥3.45

127.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$0.72 ¥4.87

72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.05

$0.40 ¥2.68

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.90

$0.47 ¥3.20

21.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 R$10.22

$2.84 ¥19.24

-29.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 R$42.43

$12.31 ¥83.3

-32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R$5.82

$0.64 ¥4.35

79.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R$9.86

$1.93 ¥13.08

0.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 R$3.70

$0.29 ¥1.98

151.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.49 R$180

$14.15 ¥95.7

150.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 R$4.49

$1.22 ¥8.27

-27.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 R$2.68

$0.34 ¥2.33

55.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 R$32.88

$6.67 ¥45.10

-2.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.81

$1.16 ¥7.86

-18.10%

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

$16.8K R$85.2K

$23.4K ¥158.1K

-28.19%

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

$25.8K R$131.1K

$20.2K ¥136.8K

27.81%

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

$83.7 R$425

$38.83 ¥263

115.66%

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

$17.67 R$89.7

$8.22 ¥55.6

114.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.13 R$81.9

$11.77 ¥79.6

37.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.22 R$92.4

$62.2 ¥421

-70.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.36 R$78.0

$6.78 ¥45.89

126.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 R$31.19

$5.60 ¥37.88

9.82%

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

$210 R$1,065

$299 ¥2,024

-29.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,391 R$22.3K

$12.6K ¥85.4K

-65.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.36 R$220

$43.44 ¥294

-0.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.56 R$241

$30.62 ¥207

55.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.6 R$267

$56.0 ¥379

-6.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.3 R$270

$70.3 ¥475

-24.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 R$2,009

$195 ¥1,321

102.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 R$1,090

$119 ¥805

80.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$517 R$2,623

$345 ¥2,337

49.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 R$1,494

$203 ¥1,376

44.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,497 R$7,599

$2,417 ¥16.4K

-38.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$713 R$3,620

$1,475 ¥9,975

-51.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$385 R$1,955

$936 ¥6,333

-58.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

3.83

185.12%

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

Last update for Sao Luis: July 21, 2026

Last update for Zhongshan: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $396 in Sao Luis and $195 in Zhongshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhongshan pays 143% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Sao Luis vs $17.00 in Zhongshan. Groceries flip the comparison at $178 vs $200, 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 Zhongshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Luis and Zhongshan differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($773 vs $632 including rent). Zhongshan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 143% lower in Zhongshan. 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: $396 in Sao Luis versus $195 in Zhongshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sao Luis pay roughly 12% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Zhongshan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $31.00 in Sao Luis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Zhongshan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 Zhongshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Sao Luis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.