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Boston vs Florianópolis

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Boston, MA vs Florianópolis, BR at a glance — Florianópolis, BR is 49% cheaper than Boston, MA overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $600/mo versus $3,000/mo. Top income tax: 27.5% vs 37%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Florianópolis, BR, you'd need

$38,348 / year

Florianópolis, BR is 49% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (Florianópolis, BR vs Boston, MA)

  • Housing-66%
  • Food & groceries-40%
  • Transport-51%
  • Utilities-33%
  • Healthcare-41%
  • Goods & services-31%

◎ How Boston, MA and Florianópolis, BR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Boston, MAFlorianópolis, BR

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Boston, MAFlorianópolis, BR
Cost of living
Overall cost index11157
Housing15252
Food9054
Transport9145
Utilities9564
Healthcare9858
Goods & services9666
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$3,000/mo$600/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$2,300/mo—
Rent, 3-bed centre$5,500/mo—
Buy price / m² centre$11,000—
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$897$1,754
Inexpensive meal$22—
Monthly transit pass$90—
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%27.5%
VAT / sales tax0%17%
Social security (employee)7.7%—
Corporate tax21%34%
Capital gains20%—
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$600/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$86,977✓—
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$280/mo
GDP per capita$90,027✓$10,296✓
Inflation (annual)—4.5%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyNative—
Coworking spaces80—
Time zoneUTC-5—
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)73—
Safety index62—
Healthcare index85—
Pollution index35—
Internet speed200 Mbps—
Walkability83—
Public transport75—
Family-friendly65—
Tap waterSafe to drink—
Health insurance$460/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr✓76 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg-1 °C—
July avg+23 °C—
Sunny days / year200—
Rainfall / year1,100 mm—
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h—

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs Brazil. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Boston vs Florianópolis — in your currency

BostonFlorianópolis
1-bed rent, city centre$3,000$600
1-bed rent, outside centre$2,300$450

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Boston

Historic, walkable and a global university and biotech hub — winters are long and rents are steep.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
62/100
Climate
❄ -1°C · ☀ 23°C · 200 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Back Bay · Cambridge · South End

Good to know before you move to Florianópolis

Currency
Brazilian real (R$ BRL)
Languages
Portuguese
Power
N/C · 127V
Driving
Right-hand side

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Boston to Florianópolis: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Boston to Florianópolis, your cost of living will be roughly 49% cheaper. Florianópolis’s cost-of-living index is 57 versus 111 for Boston (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Boston cheaper than Florianópolis?

Florianópolis is about 49% cheaper than Boston overall — its cost-of-living index is 57 versus 111 for Boston.

Which is more expensive, Boston or Florianópolis?

Boston is more expensive than Florianópolis. Its cost-of-living index is 111 vs 57 (US = 100) — about 95% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Boston or Florianópolis?

Rent is cheaper in Florianópolis — about $600/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $3,000 in Boston.

How much do you need to earn in Florianópolis to live like in Boston?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Boston is worth about $38,348 in Florianópolis. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Boston or Florianópolis?

Brazil has the lower top income-tax rate — 27.5% versus 37% in United States.

◷ More comparisons from Boston

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.