Cost of living in Salvador
This article will outline what a professional that plans to relocate from another country to Salvador should expect in order to maintain the same standard of living as the country he came from.
Relocating to a Brazilian city can be a very exciting experience due to cultural and economic differences. However, it is important to know that in many cities in Brazil it is possible to live a life very close to European standards, for example.
It is also important to remind you that the “cost of living” articles try to approximate the most we can to the reality, having in mind the profile of a typical businessman. But of course these costs vary a lot as every person has his/her own life style and needs.
Introduction
Salvador is the largest of the Northeastern cities of Brazil, concentrating more than 2.6 million people. The metropolis is considered the eighth most populous city in Latin America. The city is also known for its touristic and cultural events.
Despite being the wealthiest of the Brazilian cities in the Northeast, the city presents a very strong social inequality. What we will try to present in this article is a middle-class standard of living, similar to the European and American one.
Accommodation
As most major cities in Brazil, Salvador is a melting pot of culture and social classes. There are some specific areas of middle-class living concentration in Salvador. As a authentic big city, Salvador faces traffic problems every day so, if possible, it is better to find an easy accessing area next to your job.
| Item | Price |
| Renting Furnished Apartment in Pituba (50 m2) | BRL 2500(per month) |
| Renting Furnished Flat in Barra (45 m2) | BRL 3000 (per month) |
| Renting Unfurnished Apartment in Ondina (50m2) | BRL 2200 (per month) |
Flats have housekeeping services included
Food and Beverages
Buying food in Brazil is not so cheap as many people would think, but prices do not vary too much from state to state. One good thing about Salvador is that there are a lot of wholesales market that sell goods for a more accessible price.
| Item | Price |
| Large whole grain bread | BRL4.50 |
| 500 gram Ham | BRL 6 |
| 150 gram Philadelphia cream cheese | BRL 4 |
| 2.5 l Coca Cola | BRL 4 |
| Big Mac Menu | BRL 16 |
| European style lunch (double sandwich + coffee ) | BRL 19 |
| Simple Brazilian style lunch (buffet + juice) | BRL 8 |
| 500 ml Imported Beer | BRL 16 |
| 300 ml Mainstream local Beer | BRL 2.50 |
| 240 gram Strawberry jam | BRL 15 |
| Nice Brazilian style lunch (all you can eat buffet + desert) | BRL 22 |
| Tall Starbucks Cappuccino | BRL 8 |
| Generic Cafe Americano | BRL 1.50 |
Transport
As in most Brazilian cities, the public transportation in Salvador is not good enough to support the whole population. There are no subways yet, only projects. Taxis are not many in the city, and they tend to be expensive. Another important point from public transportation in Salvador is the security, there are a lot of people complaining about robberies inside buses, for example.
| Item | Price |
| Bus single fare | BRL 2.50 |
| Garage spot in Barra area | BRL 200 (per month) |
| 1 liter of fuel | BRL 2.79 |
Other services
| Item | Price |
| Electricity | BRL 0.49 per kWh |
| Basic Cable TV | BRL 39 (per month) |
| ADSL 512 Kbit/s | BRL 55 (per month) |
| ADSL 8 Mbit/s | BRL 150 (per month) |
| Laundry Service (pick-up and deliver) | BRL 200 (per month) |
| Mobile Phone Subscription (40 min included + unlimited 3G) | BRL 100 (per month) |
| Cinema Ticket | BRL 22 |
Entertainment
Salvador - just like Rio de Janeiro -, is known as a good place to spend summer vacations and Carnival. During the whole year, the city receives tourists from everywhere in the world. The city has beautiful beaches, street theaters, and very good night activities. For those who love day activities and still love partying a lot, “micaretas” are parties that occur day and night, concentrating different people from everywhere. If you prefer cultural programs, Salvador was the first Brazilian capital and there are a lot of historic facts to learn about.
Other resources
http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/braregnortheast/a/VisitBahia.htm