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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Sao Paulo versus $824 in Macaé.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Sao Paulo versus $1,343 in Macaé.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,271 in Sao Paulo versus $1,862 in Macaé.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 28% more expensive than in Macaé, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Macaé 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.27 R$37.04

$5.70 R$29.02

27.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$33.80 R$172

15.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 R$36.18

$6.42 R$32.67

10.75%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R$10.56

$1.92 R$9.78

7.81%

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

$1.21 R$6.15

$1.28 R$6.53

-5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.34

$0.82 R$4.19

3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 R$10.70

$1.78 R$9.06

17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R$14.72

$2.19 R$11.16

31.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.41

$1.06 R$5.39

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 R$9.47

$1.59 R$8.11

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.57

$1.28 R$6.53

0.78%

Eggs

$2.36 R$12.04

$1.94 R$9.89

21.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 R$55.9

$8.08 R$41.14

35.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 R$22.07

$3.55 R$18.07

22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 R$47.30

$6.37 R$32.45

45.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 R$14.39

$2.30 R$11.71

23.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.35

$1.27 R$6.47

44.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.28

$1.18 R$6.03

38.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 R$8.97

$1.39 R$7.07

26.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.02

$1.09 R$5.56

26.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.37

$1.16 R$5.93

7.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 R$5.04

$0.67 R$3.41

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.72

$0.47 R$2.39

55.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 R$12.62

$2.01 R$10.21

23.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 R$49.81

$5.81 R$29.56

68.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.95

$0.92 R$4.67

48.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 R$12.09

$1.14 R$5.81

108.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.78

$0.75 R$3.83

25.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.40 R$226

$73.8 R$376

-39.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.65

$1.13 R$5.76

-1.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.63

$0.71 R$3.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 R$46.40

$7.49 R$38.11

21.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.35

$1.07 R$5.43

-1.87%

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

$22.0K R$112.2K

$17.8K R$90.5K

24.01%

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

$27.9K R$142.3K

$27.0K R$137.7K

3.36%

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

$53.8 R$274

$58.4 R$297

-7.88%

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

$13.21 R$67.3

$10.03 R$51.1

31.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.27 R$103

$18.88 R$96.1

7.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.44 R$150

$38.50 R$196

-23.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 R$181

$26.80 R$136

32.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 R$41.55

$6.17 R$31.41

32.25%

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

$505 R$2,573

$541 R$2,753

-6.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.7K

$6,587 R$33.5K

131.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R$259

$44.81 R$228

13.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.52 R$216

$29.33 R$149

44.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 R$403

$71.6 R$364

10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 R$370

$60.8 R$310

19.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 R$3,357

$357 R$1,816

84.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,081

$234 R$1,193

74.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 R$6,554

$661 R$3,366

94.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 R$3,822

$508 R$2,587

47.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,740 R$14.0K

$1,231 R$6,267

122.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,983 R$10.1K

$762 R$3,877

160.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$839 R$4,272

$761 R$3,875

10.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

11.25

2.76%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: July 14, 2026

Last update for Macaé: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $659 in Sao Paulo and $357 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 10% 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: $39.00 in Sao Paulo vs $34.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $164 per month, with Macaé 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 Paulo vs Macaé: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Paulo and Macaé differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,054 vs $824 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Sao Paulo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $659 in Sao Paulo versus $357 in Macaé. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $39.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,054 per month in Sao Paulo versus $824 in Macaé – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $824 in Macaé versus $1,054 in Sao Paulo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macaé but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Macaé 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 Macaé gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.