Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Duque de Caxias Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Duque de Caxias

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,044 per month in Sao Paulo vs $776 in Duque de Caxias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,646 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,249 in Duque de Caxias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,247 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,722 in Duque de Caxias, rent included.

Sao Paulo costs about 35% more than Duque de Caxias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sao Paulo and Duque de Caxias are more affordable than the global median – Sao Paulo 22% lower, Duque de Caxias 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 R$37.42

$6.40 R$32.38

15.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.30 R$199

$30.57 R$155

28.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 R$37.50

$6.80 R$34.41

8.97%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R$10.50

$1.87 R$9.48

11.23%

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

$1.19 R$6.02

$1.32 R$6.69

-9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.61

$0.85 R$4.30

7.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R$11.12

$1.78 R$9.01

23.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 R$14.74

$2.37 R$12.01

22.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.12

$1.08 R$5.45

-6.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.30

$1.45 R$7.35

26.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.83

$1.25 R$6.32

8.00%

Eggs

$2.46 R$12.42

$1.83 R$9.25

34.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 R$55.7

$8.37 R$42.35

31.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 R$21.14

$3.70 R$18.74

12.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 R$45.52

$7.64 R$38.65

17.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.21

$2.28 R$11.53

23.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 R$9.63

$1.49 R$7.53

27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.48

$1.40 R$7.08

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.26

$1.51 R$7.66

21.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.18

$1.24 R$6.26

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.56

$1.01 R$5.10

28.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 R$4.70

$0.59 R$2.97

57.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.72

$0.65 R$3.31

13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 R$12.38

$2.67 R$13.52

-8.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 R$49.02

$8.00 R$40.46

21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.66

$1.26 R$6.35

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$2.59 R$13.12

-12.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.94 R$4.76

-1.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.14 R$223

$38.50 R$195

14.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.38

$0.93 R$4.73

13.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.86

$0.67 R$3.38

13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 R$47.23

$7.07 R$35.76

32.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.39

$1.06 R$5.34

0.94%

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

$21.6K R$109.3K

$13.3K R$67.2K

62.66%

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

$28.2K R$142.7K

$17.5K R$88.4K

61.46%

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

$54.8 R$277

$46.90 R$237

16.91%

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

$12.95 R$65.5

$15.02 R$76.0

-13.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.17 R$102

$18.64 R$94.3

8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.79 R$146

$22.76 R$115

26.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.79 R$181

$22.01 R$111

62.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 R$41.08

$5.49 R$27.79

47.91%

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

$489 R$2,471

$320 R$1,620

52.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.3K

$6,864 R$34.7K

125.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R$257

$57.8 R$292

-12.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.48 R$215

$35.49 R$180

19.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 R$400

$84.0 R$425

-5.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 R$369

$71.8 R$363

1.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 R$3,347

$311 R$1,574

112.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,064

$218 R$1,101

87.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 R$6,388

$586 R$2,964

115.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,825

$427 R$2,160

77.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 R$13.7K

$1,290 R$6,527

110.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,946 R$9,845

$564 R$2,853

245.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 R$4,384

$293 R$1,481

196.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

10.92

5.86%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: July 22, 2026

Last update for Duque de Caxias: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $662 in Sao Paulo versus $311 in Duque de Caxias. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 196% higher in Sao Paulo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Sao Paulo versus $31.00 in Duque de Caxias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $181 – making Duque de Caxias the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Paulo vs Duque de Caxias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Paulo costs about 35% more than Duque de Caxias, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,566 per month in Sao Paulo and $1,163 in Duque de Caxias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Duque de Caxias, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Sao Paulo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Sao Paulo and $31.00 in Duque de Caxias. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Duque de Caxias, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Sao Paulo at $1,044. In Duque de Caxias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Paulo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Duque de Caxias costs $776 versus $1,044 in Sao Paulo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Duque de Caxias. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sao Paulo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.