Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Serra and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Serra: $889 a month against $4,950 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $48,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Serra
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Serra Living Index
239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Serra

🇧🇷 Brazil

$889

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,950

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Serra and in New York, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Serra and in New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $889 per month in Serra vs $4,950 in New York, NY, rent included.

Serra $889
New York, NY $4,950

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Serra vs $7,265 in New York, NY, rent included.

Serra $1,317
New York, NY $7,265

A family of three spends $1,744 per month in Serra vs $9,581 in New York, NY, rent included.

Serra $1,744
New York, NY $9,581

Serra is about 82% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Serra sits 34% below the global median, while New York, NY is 267% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 R$24.16

$24.65 $24.65

-80.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.99 R$117

$122 $122

-81.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 R$41.58

$13.91 $13.91

-41.05%

Cappuccino

$2.09 R$10.57

$6.59 $6.59

-68.29%

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

$1.34 R$6.77

$3.84 $3.84

-65.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.15

$2.87 $2.87

-78.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 R$9.88

$7.79 $7.79

-74.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 R$15.53

$9.85 $9.85

-68.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.70

$1.38 $1.38

-18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 R$9.13

$4.68 $4.68

-61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.95

$7.54 $7.54

-84.48%

Eggs

$2.14 R$10.87

$5.93 $5.93

-63.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 R$53.2

$18.83 $18.83

-44.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 R$23.22

$17.36 $17.36

-73.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.54 R$43.27

$18.51 $18.51

-53.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 R$14.53

$6.74 $6.74

-57.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 R$7.74

$2.09 $2.09

-26.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.28

$6.07 $6.07

-69.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.20

$6.74 $6.74

-75.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.96

$4.05 $4.05

-70.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.65

$4.37 $4.37

-74.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 R$6.78

$2.89 $2.89

-53.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R$7.03

$2.60 $2.60

-46.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.62

$18.72 $18.72

-86.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.64 R$28.59

$20.06 $20.06

-71.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$3.25 $3.25

-69.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 R$16.59

$3.73 $3.73

-12.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$3.06 $3.06

-68.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.18 R$239

$140 $140

-66.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 R$6.66

$3.04 $3.04

-56.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 R$5.72

$2.15 $2.15

-47.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 R$34.95

$41.82 $41.82

-83.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.49

$1.12 $1.12

-3.57%

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

$23.5K R$119.2K

$35.5K $35.5K

-33.67%

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

$33.8K R$171.1K

$26.0K $26.0K

29.65%

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

$158 R$803

$219 $219

-27.67%

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

$12.30 R$62.4

$73.2 $73.2

-83.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.05 R$107

$72.0 $72.0

-70.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.83 R$131

$123 $123

-78.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.87 R$141

$67.7 $67.7

-58.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 R$37.95

$22.85 $22.85

-67.22%

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

$188 R$955

$3,333 $3,333

-94.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,726 R$34.1K

$60.0K $60.0K

-88.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 R$279

$75.2 $75.2

-26.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.1 R$259

$52.4 $52.4

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 R$462

$122 $122

-25.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 R$377

$133 $133

-44.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 R$1,271

$4,389 $4,389

-94.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$153 R$774

$3,130 $3,130

-95.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 R$2,261

$8,918 $8,918

-95.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 R$1,117

$5,354 $5,354

-95.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$970 R$4,917

$19.4K $19.4K

-95.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$563 R$2,852

$6,806 $6,806

-91.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 R$2,833

$5,343 $5,343

-89.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

61.29%

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

Last update for Serra: October 11, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Serra

$212 23.8%

New York, NY

$545 11% 157% $333

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Serra

$192 21.6%

New York, NY

$364 7.4% 89.9% $172

Accommodation & Living

Serra

$153 17.2%

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.2% 1950% $3K

Clothing & Footwear

Serra

$122 13.8%

New York, NY

$172 3.5% 40.8% $50

Eating Out

Serra

$111 12.5%

New York, NY

$404 8.2% 262% $292

Getting Around

Serra

$58 6.5%

New York, NY

$167 3.4% 187% $108

Sport & Entertainment

Serra

$41 4.6%

New York, NY

$168 3.4% 313% $128

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Serra versus $4,389 in New York, NY. 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 856% higher in New York, NY, 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 $23.00 in Serra versus $122 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $545 – making Serra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Serra

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

08:03 8:03 AM

07:03 7:03 AM

1 h behind Serra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

520,653

8,804,190

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Serra New York, NY 7,610 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Serra
New York, NY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Serra vs New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 457% more than Serra, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,333 per month in Serra and $7,424 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $188 per month in Serra and $3,333 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 157% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Serra, where all-in costs run around $889, than in New York, NY at $4,950. In Serra it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Serra costs $889 versus $4,950 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Serra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.