🇧🇷 Brazil · 2026

Cost of Living in Recife

11.2% below the Brazil average

Ranked #499 of 577 cities · More expensive than 13.5% of cities worldwide

-11.2%
Cost of Living
-10.5%
Rent
-16.9%
Groceries
-26.4%
Purchasing Power

Compared to Brazil average · See Brazil ranking →

Rent Prices in Recife

Apartment City Centre Outside Centre You Save
1-Bedroom BRL 2,574/mo ≈ $495 BRL 1,303/mo ≈ $250 49%
3-Bedroom BRL 4,452/mo ≈ $856 BRL 3,109/mo ≈ $598 30%
Numbeo · 2026-10-02

Prices of Goods & Services in Recife

Groceries

Apples (1kg)
BRL 9.50
Beer (0.5L, supermarket)
BRL 5.89
Bread (500g)
BRL 6.35
Local cheese (1kg)
BRL 44.57
Chicken (1kg)
BRL 25.43
Cigarettes (Marlboro)
BRL 10.00
Eggs (12)
BRL 11.00
Milk (1L)
BRL 6.55
Potatoes (1kg)
BRL 7.00
Tomatoes (1kg)
BRL 6.00
Wine (mid-range)
BRL 40.00

Restaurants

Draft beer (0.5L)
BRL 9.50
Cappuccino
BRL 15.00
McMeal
BRL 34.00
Cheap meal
BRL 29.00
Mid-range dinner (2 people)
BRL 186.25

Clothing & Shoes

Business shoes (leather)
BRL 416.00
Jeans (Levi's 501)
BRL 267.00
Sport shoes (Nike)
BRL 375.25
Summer dress (Zara/H&M)
BRL 245.50

Leisure

Cinema ticket
BRL 37.50
Gym membership
BRL 112.84

Transportation

Gasoline (1L)
BRL 6.10
Taxi start
BRL 6.21
Monthly pass
BRL 211.25

Utilities

Basic utilities (85m²)
BRL 633.43

Prices in local currency, cross-referenced from multiple independent sources. October 2026.

Multi-Source Comparison

★★ Medium Confidence

Recife has a cost of living index of 19.9 (New York = 100, rent included), the average of 2 of 3 data sources. Expatistan is left out because it sits more than 15% away from the others.

19.9
Index
3
Sources
4.4
Gap between sources

Source Values (NYC = 100)

Numbeo
22.1
Expatistan
28.0
left out
LivingCost
17.7
ShouldIMove price index
No data

ShouldIMove price index: our own basket of real item prices plus rent.

Cost Indices

Cost of Living
-11.2% Affordable
Rent
-10.5% Affordable
Groceries
-16.9% Affordable
Restaurants
-7.0% Average
Purchasing Power
-26.4% Very weak

Living in Recife: What to Expect

Recife is affordable by global standards (ranked #499 of 577 cities). It is 11.2% cheaper than the Brazil average, based on 13 cities.

Groceries are affordable and dining out is average. The best value is groceries and the priciest is restaurants.

Local purchasing power is limited: residents can afford fewer goods and services than in most cities.

Workers in Brazil earning BRL 294,413 gross take home BRL 17,980/month after tax (26.7% effective rate). See full Brazil tax calculator →

How Does Recife Compare?

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