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: $1,186 in Somerset West versus $872 in Macaé.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,965 in Somerset West versus $1,457 in Macaé.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,744 in Somerset West versus $2,041 in Macaé.

Living in Somerset West is roughly 36% more expensive than in Macaé, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Somerset West 14% lower, Macaé 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.27 R 198

$5.44 R$27.88

125.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.27 R 761

$29.64 R$152

59.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 R 92.4

$6.89 R$35.30

-16.69%

Cappuccino

$2.12 R 34.22

$1.72 R$8.83

23.26%

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

$1.07 R 17.18

$1.31 R$6.73

-18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.33

$0.56 R$2.89

69.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R 44.01

$1.19 R$6.08

129.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 R 55.7

$2.68 R$13.75

29.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R 16.92

$1.01 R$5.16

3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R 16.60

$1.47 R$7.55

-29.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.38

$1.33 R$6.81

60.15%

Eggs

$2.34 R 37.69

$1.99 R$10.19

17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 R 144

$8.93 R$45.78

0.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 R 87.5

$3.38 R$17.34

60.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.71 R 156

$9.04 R$46.36

7.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R 31.03

$1.89 R$9.70

2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 R 32.07

$1.12 R$5.77

77.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 R 27.51

$0.88 R$4.53

94.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 R 27.76

$1.25 R$6.38

37.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.26

$0.64 R$3.30

145.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.79

$0.84 R$4.28

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 R 22.24

$0.55 R$2.82

150.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R 17.07

$0.51 R$2.63

107.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 R 55.8

$1.54 R$7.91

124.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 R 103

$5.81 R$29.79

10.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 R 23.12

$0.95 R$4.86

51.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 R 29.56

$1.19 R$6.09

54.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 R 19.43

$1.51 R$7.75

-19.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 R 986

$80.2 R$411

-23.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 R 10.41

$1.39 R$7.11

-53.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 R 25.74

$0.72 R$3.71

122.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 R 81.4

$7.91 R$40.55

-36.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 R 23.14

$1.27 R$6.52

13.39%

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

$30.3K R 487.4K

$21.0K R$107.5K

44.31%

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

$30.0K R 483.3K

$30.4K R$155.6K

-1.13%

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

$86.2 R 1,388

$98.0 R$502

-12.05%

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

$31.45 R 506

$9.76 R$50.1

222.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.32 R 649

$18.71 R$95.9

115.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.98 R 757

$39.46 R$202

19.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 R 179

$29.04 R$149

-61.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 R 120

$6.66 R$34.16

11.71%

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

$265 R 4,267

$634 R$3,249

-58.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,814 R 61.4K

$7,022 R$36.0K

-45.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.05 R 516

$62.1 R$318

-48.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.89 R 514

$31.23 R$160

2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.5 R 1,168

$67.1 R$344

8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.7 R 961

$47.24 R$242

26.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 R 10.8K

$367 R$1,881

82.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 R 7,029

$231 R$1,184

88.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 R 22.0K

$883 R$4,529

54.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 R 15.7K

$652 R$3,342

49.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,316 R 21.2K

$1,239 R$6,350

6.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 R 14.8K

$783 R$4,013

17.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,476 R 23.8K

$767 R$3,930

92.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

10.67

-5.15%

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

Last update for Somerset West: September 5, 2026

Last update for Macaé: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $670 in Somerset West and $367 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Somerset West pays 93% 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: $47.00 in Somerset West vs $30.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $166 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,186 vs $872 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 93% 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: $670 in Somerset West versus $367 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 $30.00 versus $47.00 in Somerset West. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,186 per month in Somerset West versus $872 in Macaé – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $872 in Macaé versus $1,186 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 36% less than in Somerset West. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.