Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhongshan and Sao Luis Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhongshan and Sao Luis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $638 in Zhongshan versus $774 in Sao Luis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,007 in Zhongshan versus $1,169 in Sao Luis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,376 in Zhongshan versus $1,564 in Sao Luis.

Living in Zhongshan costs roughly 18% less than in Sao Luis, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zhongshan 52% lower, Sao Luis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 ¥18.66

$5.01 R$25.38

-44.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.90 ¥114

$30.50 R$154

-44.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ¥27.71

$7.33 R$37.12

-44.20%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ¥18.48

$2.05 R$10.39

33.17%

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

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.95 R$4.81

-56.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.55 R$2.80

-50.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 ¥4.91

$1.84 R$9.30

-60.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥11.64

$3.19 R$16.18

-46.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$0.96 R$4.87

89.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.06

$1.92 R$9.74

-7.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.12

$1.01 R$5.14

-10.89%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.60

$1.93 R$9.78

-19.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ¥86.8

$9.39 R$47.53

36.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ¥18.32

$3.70 R$18.73

-26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 ¥85.0

$7.21 R$36.52

74.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.66

$1.86 R$9.44

0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.30

$1.21 R$6.11

-23.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.62 ¥4.18

$0.96 R$4.85

-35.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.06

$1.37 R$6.92

-2.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$1.11 R$5.62

-52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.83

$1.24 R$6.29

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.79 R$4.02

-49.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.57 R$2.86

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 ¥18.34

$2.03 R$10.26

33.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.12 ¥88.9

$8.03 R$40.65

63.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.09

$1.10 R$5.56

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.36

$1.94 R$9.83

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.79 R$4.02

-63.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.73 ¥93.0

$35.80 R$181

-61.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 ¥8.54

$0.94 R$4.75

34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.50 R$2.52

-24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 ¥45.65

$6.49 R$32.86

3.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.90

$0.95 R$4.79

23.16%

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

$22.7K ¥153.7K

$17.2K R$86.9K

32.12%

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

$20.4K ¥138.4K

$25.8K R$130.5K

-20.76%

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

$38.52 ¥261

$84.0 R$425

-54.14%

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

$8.47 ¥57.4

$17.24 R$87.3

-50.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.90 ¥80.6

$16.25 R$82.3

-26.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 ¥430

$18.13 R$91.8

250.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 ¥48.22

$15.52 R$78.6

-54.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 ¥36.65

$5.99 R$30.34

-9.68%

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

$296 ¥2,005

$204 R$1,030

45.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ¥86.1K

$4,284 R$21.7K

196.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.75 ¥303

$44.54 R$226

0.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ¥210

$47.88 R$242

-35.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.1 ¥373

$54.3 R$275

1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 ¥475

$55.0 R$279

27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 ¥1,332

$389 R$1,971

-49.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 ¥793

$208 R$1,054

-43.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 ¥2,320

$516 R$2,611

-33.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ¥1,327

$295 R$1,496

-33.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,454 ¥16.6K

$1,505 R$7,620

63.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,479 ¥10.0K

$723 R$3,663

104.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 ¥6,527

$381 R$1,928

153.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

10.92

-64.93%

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

Last update for Zhongshan: May 30, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $197 in Zhongshan and $389 in Sao Luis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhongshan pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Zhongshan vs $31.00 in Sao Luis. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $177, with Sao Luis cheaper for home cooking.

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

Zhongshan vs Sao Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhongshan and Sao Luis differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($638 vs $774 including rent). Zhongshan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Zhongshan pays 153% more on average, 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: $197 in Zhongshan versus $389 in Sao Luis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sao Luis pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Zhongshan – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $31.00 in Sao Luis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Zhongshan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Zhongshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Sao Luis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.