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 $1,059 per month in Sao Paulo vs $793 in Duque de Caxias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,691 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,285 in Duque de Caxias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,323 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,777 in Duque de Caxias, rent included.

Sao Paulo costs about 34% 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 21% lower, Duque de Caxias 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R$36.57

$6.15 R$30.55

19.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 R$195

$30.54 R$152

28.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 R$35.08

$6.79 R$33.74

3.98%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.94

$1.89 R$9.40

5.82%

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

$1.19 R$5.91

$1.35 R$6.69

-11.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.12

$0.82 R$4.10

1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 R$10.51

$1.78 R$8.86

18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 R$14.09

$2.35 R$11.70

20.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.25

$1.10 R$5.45

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 R$9.09

$1.45 R$7.21

26.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.43

$1.29 R$6.42

Eggs

$2.41 R$11.96

$1.88 R$9.32

28.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 R$54.9

$8.19 R$40.70

34.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 R$20.75

$3.57 R$17.74

17.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 R$45.83

$7.58 R$37.68

21.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 R$14.17

$2.23 R$11.08

27.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.53

$1.53 R$7.62

25.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 R$8.47

$1.43 R$7.10

18.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R$8.87

$1.60 R$7.97

11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.09

$1.23 R$6.10

16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.17

$0.97 R$4.82

27.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 R$5.05

$0.62 R$3.07

64.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.66

$0.64 R$3.19

15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 R$12.87

$2.76 R$13.70

-6.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 R$50.5

$8.10 R$40.25

25.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.69

$1.23 R$6.12

9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 R$11.79

$2.69 R$13.35

-11.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.69

$0.94 R$4.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.42 R$226

$38.81 R$193

17.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.26

$0.93 R$4.63

13.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.72

$0.66 R$3.27

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 R$46.34

$7.30 R$36.28

27.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.53

$1.05 R$5.24

5.71%

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

$21.3K R$105.7K

$13.4K R$66.8K

58.27%

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

$28.4K R$141.2K

$17.6K R$87.3K

61.80%

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

$53.6 R$266

$46.21 R$230

15.95%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$15.05 R$74.8

-10.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 R$99.2

$18.57 R$92.3

7.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.18 R$145

$22.17 R$110

31.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.88 R$178

$21.46 R$107

67.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 R$39.37

$5.31 R$26.40

49.15%

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

$506 R$2,517

$311 R$1,546

62.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$75.2K

$6,940 R$34.5K

118.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 R$253

$56.8 R$282

-10.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 R$215

$35.34 R$176

22.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 R$394

$87.1 R$433

-8.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 R$369

$70.7 R$352

5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 R$3,286

$321 R$1,596

105.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 R$2,017

$216 R$1,072

88.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 R$6,357

$586 R$2,912

118.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 R$3,709

$421 R$2,093

77.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,984 R$14.8K

$1,680 R$8,352

77.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,181 R$10.8K

$1,211 R$6,019

80.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$872 R$4,334

$297 R$1,475

193.80%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Duque de Caxias: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $661 in Sao Paulo versus $321 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 194% 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 in Sao Paulo versus $31 in Duque de Caxias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 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 34% 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 $1,588 per month in Sao Paulo and $1,189 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 21% 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 $793, than in Sao Paulo at $1,059. 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 $793 versus $1,059 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.