Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Thomas and Araras Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Thomas and Araras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,309 per month in St. Thomas vs $831 in Araras, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,403 per month in St. Thomas vs $1,358 in Araras, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,497 per month in St. Thomas vs $1,885 in Araras, rent included.

St. Thomas costs about 178% more than Araras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Thomas sits 69% above the global median, while Araras is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.46 CA$30.02

$5.43 R$27.94

295.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 CA$90.2

$31.02 R$159

107.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 CA$15.94

$6.94 R$35.71

64.12%

Cappuccino

$3.42 CA$4.79

$2.35 R$12.08

45.53%

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

$2.12 CA$2.97

$1.33 R$6.85

59.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 CA$2.30

$0.89 R$4.56

84.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 CA$6.94

$2.36 R$12.14

110.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 CA$8.60

$2.84 R$14.62

116.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 CA$3.01

$1.00 R$5.13

115.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 CA$3.81

$1.57 R$8.10

73.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.15

$0.79 R$4.07

365.82%

Eggs

$3.19 CA$4.46

$2.00 R$10.26

59.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 CA$12.99

$11.79 R$60.6

-21.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.28 CA$22.77

$4.80 R$24.70

239.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.78 CA$27.67

$9.88 R$50.8

100.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.69

$2.08 R$10.70

95.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.84

$1.24 R$6.36

5.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.94 CA$5.51

$0.68 R$3.51

479.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.55

$1.72 R$8.87

130.23%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 CA$4.74

$0.75 R$3.86

352.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 CA$4.43

$0.71 R$3.63

346.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 CA$4.24

$1.00 R$5.14

203.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CA$2.11

$0.47 R$2.41

221.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.36 CA$15.89

$2.29 R$11.80

396.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 CA$17.93

$7.61 R$39.14

68.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 CA$3.45

$0.65 R$3.35

280.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 CA$3.91

$1.93 R$9.94

45.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 CA$3.08

$0.94 R$4.83

134.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 CA$90.8

$45.77 R$235

41.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 CA$3.42

$1.53 R$7.87

60.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 CA$2.38

$1.55 R$7.96

9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.48 CA$31.44

$7.79 R$40.06

188.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.54

$0.99 R$5.07

11.11%

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

$28.7K CA$40.2K

$23.3K R$119.8K

23.30%

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

$20.8K CA$29.1K

$31.1K R$160.0K

-33.21%

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

$126 CA$176

$38.95 R$200

222.39%

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

$44.17 CA$61.8

$11.95 R$61.5

269.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.3 CA$80.1

$18.81 R$96.7

204.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 CA$59.3

$43.06 R$221

-1.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 CA$27.63

$26.42 R$136

-25.25%

Cinema Ticket

$10.70 CA$14.97

$5.88 R$30.22

81.97%

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

$414 CA$579

$278 R$1,429

49.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K CA$24.0K

$9,844 R$50.6K

74.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 CA$77.1

$54.5 R$280

1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 CA$51.2

$36.46 R$187

0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 CA$115

$94.6 R$487

-13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 CA$130

$57.6 R$296

61.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,161 CA$1,625

$226 R$1,160

415.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,104 CA$1,544

$236 R$1,213

367.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 CA$2,886

$657 R$3,378

214.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 CA$2,253

$456 R$2,344

253.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,240 CA$5,930

$1,612 R$8,287

163.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,630 CA$5,077

$1,139 R$5,857

218.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,089 CA$4,321

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

12.79

-60.99%

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

Last update for St. Thomas: September 15, 2026

Last update for Araras: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,161 in St. Thomas versus $226 in Araras. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in St. Thomas versus $31.00 in Araras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $191 – making Araras 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

St. Thomas vs Araras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St. Thomas costs about 178% more than Araras, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,464 per month in St. Thomas and $1,247 in Araras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 42% less in Araras. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $414 per month in St. Thomas and $278 in Araras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Araras, where all-in costs run around $831, than in St. Thomas at $2,309. In Araras it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Thomas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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