Cost of Living Comparison Between Settat and Sao Carlos Cost of Living Comparison Between Settat and Sao Carlos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $666 per month in Settat vs $969 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,026 per month in Settat vs $1,679 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,386 per month in Settat vs $2,389 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

Settat is about 31% cheaper than Sao Carlos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Settat and Sao Carlos are more affordable than the global median – Settat 52% lower, Sao Carlos 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.20 MAD 29.90

$4.72 R$24.16

-32.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.56 MAD 305

$39.17 R$201

-16.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 MAD 61.4

$6.72 R$34.44

-2.38%

Cappuccino

$1.15 MAD 10.75

$2.08 R$10.68

-44.71%

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

$0.47 MAD 4.40

$1.29 R$6.59

-63.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MAD 3.52

$0.76 R$3.92

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 MAD 11.88

$1.56 R$7.98

-18.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 MAD 15.44

$2.64 R$13.54

-37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 MAD 8.36

$1.35 R$6.90

-34.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 MAD 8.06

$1.89 R$9.69

-54.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 MAD 15.18

$1.80 R$9.21

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.00 MAD 18.68

$2.88 R$14.78

-30.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 MAD 75.1

$12.06 R$61.8

-33.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 MAD 51.3

$5.25 R$26.88

4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 MAD 112

$9.29 R$47.62

29.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 MAD 15.76

$2.66 R$13.63

-36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MAD 13.92

$1.82 R$9.33

-18.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 MAD 9.26

$1.73 R$8.88

-42.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.24

$1.85 R$9.47

-58.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MAD 7.00

$1.66 R$8.52

-54.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MAD 7.53

$1.37 R$7.03

-40.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 MAD 2.44

$0.92 R$4.70

-71.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MAD 4.88

$1.14 R$5.83

-54.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MAD 40.43

$3.16 R$16.21

36.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 MAD 76.8

$8.05 R$41.25

1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 MAD 21.63

$1.43 R$7.32

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 MAD 32.30

$2.95 R$15.13

16.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 MAD 3.91

$0.97 R$4.99

-56.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.60 MAD 99.2

$23.38 R$120

-54.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 MAD 7.35

$1.49 R$7.65

-46.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MAD 6.34

$0.93 R$4.75

-26.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 MAD 69.0

$3.53 R$18.11

108.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MAD 14.73

$1.23 R$6.28

27.64%

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

$35.2K MAD 328.9K

$19.1K R$97.9K

84.05%

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

$30.5K MAD 285.4K

$30.7K R$157.4K

-0.68%

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

$21.41 MAD 200

$61.2 R$313

-65.00%

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

$5.45 MAD 51.0

$13.48 R$69.1

-59.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.95 MAD 355

$24.27 R$124

56.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.52 MAD 183

$32.74 R$168

-40.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.78 MAD 101

$46.41 R$238

-76.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MAD 62.3

$5.42 R$27.76

22.88%

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

$106 MAD 991

$286 R$1,464

-62.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,646 MAD 80.9K

$2,914 R$14.9K

196.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.76 MAD 306

$80.3 R$411

-59.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.54 MAD 445

$93.1 R$477

-48.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 MAD 790

$137 R$704

-38.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 MAD 818

$160 R$817

-45.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MAD 2,046

$261 R$1,339

-16.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 MAD 1,514

$222 R$1,139

-27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 MAD 8,138

$662 R$3,393

31.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 MAD 2,197

$642 R$3,289

-63.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$815 R$4,178

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$723 R$3,702

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$220 MAD 2,054

$654 R$3,351

-66.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

10.75

-67.44%

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

Last update for Settat: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sao Carlos: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $219 in Settat versus $261 in Sao Carlos. 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 198% higher in Sao Carlos, 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 $33.00 in Settat versus $39.00 in Sao Carlos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $236 – making Settat 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

Settat vs Sao Carlos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Carlos costs about 45% more than Settat, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $999 per month in Settat and $1,453 in Sao Carlos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 24% more in Sao Carlos, 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 $33.00 in Settat and $39.00 in Sao Carlos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $666 in Settat and $969 in Sao Carlos, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Settat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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