Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Macaé Cost of Living Comparison Between Somerset West and Macaé

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $979 in Somerset West versus $822 in Macaé.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Somerset West versus $1,356 in Macaé.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,226 in Somerset West versus $1,889 in Macaé.

Living in Somerset West is roughly 19% more expensive than in Macaé, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Somerset West 26% lower, Macaé 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 R 137

$5.76 R$29.47

42.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.75 R 662

$34.84 R$178

14.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 R 82.5

$6.22 R$31.82

-20.42%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R 33.15

$1.96 R$10.04

1.53%

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

$0.80 R 13.31

$1.28 R$6.57

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.56

$0.84 R$4.30

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 R 42.72

$1.82 R$9.29

40.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R 41.17

$2.14 R$10.96

15.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 R 14.64

$1.06 R$5.44

-16.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 R 15.68

$1.60 R$8.19

-41.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 R 31.97

$1.22 R$6.26

57.38%

Eggs

$2.09 R 34.75

$2.02 R$10.31

3.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 R 123

$8.20 R$41.98

-10.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 R 82.3

$3.66 R$18.71

34.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 R 123

$6.24 R$31.93

18.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.18

$2.38 R$12.19

-34.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.58

$1.24 R$6.36

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 R 24.15

$1.19 R$6.10

21.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 26.37

$1.34 R$6.85

17.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 R 18.74

$1.05 R$5.38

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 R 20.38

$1.16 R$5.95

5.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 R 18.07

$0.63 R$3.23

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.56

$0.43 R$2.22

116.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 R 52.8

$1.93 R$9.86

64.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 R 100

$5.99 R$30.67

0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 22.56

$0.93 R$4.78

45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 R 28.67

$1.15 R$5.90

49.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.67 R 27.81

$0.75 R$3.84

122.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 R$377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 R 23.13

$1.07 R$5.47

29.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R 16.86

$0.71 R$3.61

42.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 R 75.3

$7.57 R$38.76

-40.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 R 19.92

$1.11 R$5.70

8.11%

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

$19.5K R 324.5K

$17.9K R$91.3K

9.14%

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

$22.5K R 374.7K

$27.4K R$140.4K

-18.00%

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

$68.1 R 1,135

$59.7 R$305

14.16%

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

$30.11 R 502

$9.70 R$49.63

210.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.96 R 699

$18.55 R$94.9

126.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.16 R 652

$38.38 R$196

2.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 R$137

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 R 113

$6.13 R$31.37

10.28%

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

$217 R 3,611

$546 R$2,795

-60.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,346 R 55.7K

$6,604 R$33.8K

-49.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.20 R 520

$45.01 R$230

-30.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.43 R 457

$28.33 R$145

-3.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 R 1,079

$72.5 R$371

-10.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 R 1,072

$62.1 R$318

3.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 R 10.3K

$360 R$1,841

72.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 R 6,620

$232 R$1,190

70.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 R 20.7K

$663 R$3,394

87.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 R 14.5K

$504 R$2,577

73.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,242 R 20.7K

$1,256 R$6,426

-1.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$881 R 14.7K

$775 R$3,964

13.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,393 R 23.2K

$767 R$3,924

81.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.5

11.25

-6.67%

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

Last update for Somerset West: July 26, 2026

Last update for Macaé: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $620 in Somerset West and $360 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 82% 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: $40.00 in Somerset West vs $35.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 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

Somerset West vs Macaé: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset West and Macaé differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($979 vs $822 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 82% higher in Somerset West, 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: $620 in Somerset West versus $360 in Macaé. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $217 in Somerset West versus $546 in Macaé. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $40.00 in Somerset West. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $822 in Macaé versus $979 in Somerset West, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macaé but tight or insufficient in Somerset West. 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.

Safety-wise, Somerset West and Macaé are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Macaé gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Somerset West. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.