In short
On a R$ 500 thousand home in São Luís (Maranhão), the ITBI transfer tax, the notary deed and the registration come to at least R$ 17,125. 22% of occupied homes were rented in the 2022 Census.
Calculate for São Luís
The questions, answered
How much are the purchase costs on a R$ 500 thousand home in São Luís?
On a R$ 500 thousand home in São Luís (Maranhão), notary deed (escritura) R$ 8,389, registration at the property registry R$ 8,736: at least R$ 17,125 in all, from the rates and fee tables read on 15 October 2026 (the city's ITBI rate could not be read at an official source).
How much are the purchase costs on a R$ 1 million home in São Luís?
On a R$ 1 million home in São Luís (Maranhão): notary deed (escritura) R$ 16,383, registration at the property registry R$ 16,210, at least R$ 32,593 in all.
What is the ITBI rate in São Luís?
Payotte could not read São Luís's ITBI law or the city's finance department page (the official site refused the connection or the text could not be found), so it publishes no rate: ask the city before signing.
What monthly payment on a R$ 500 thousand home in São Luís?
R$ 400,000 borrowed on a R$ 500 thousand home (CMN cap 80%) costs R$ 3,730 a month with Price over 30 years at 11.28% (August 2026), or R$ 4,690 the first month with SAC.
Do more people rent in São Luís than in Brazil as a whole?
In the 2022 Census, 22% of the 348,484 occupied homes in São Luís were rented and 73.3% owned by a resident, against 22.2% rented across Brazil (IBGE).
How many people live in São Luís?
São Luís had 1,037,775 residents in the 2022 Census, and 1,090,229 in the IBGE estimate for 2026.
How São Luís compares
São Luís ranks 15th by population among the 55 cities on Payotte, with 1,037,775 residents in the 2022 Census, 15.3% of Maranhão's 6,776,699. The IBGE estimate for 2026, 1,090,229, is 5.1% above the census: faster than Maranhão as a whole (3.7%), 37th of 55 cities, against 5.5% for Brazil. The census counts 2.98 residents per occupied home, fewer than the 3.24 of Maranhão.
22% of the 348,484 occupied homes of São Luís were rented in 2022, close to the 22.2% national share, and 10 points above Maranhão (12%); 73.3% were owned by a resident. That is the 47th highest rental share of 55 cities.
Payotte could not read the ITBI rate of São Luís, so it adds no tax line to the purchase costs. No other city of Maranhão on Payotte has a rate read either. Across the 41 cities with a rate read, the median is 2%.
By population the closest cities on Payotte are Maceió (957,916 residents, 30.6% of homes rented, ITBI 2%) and Campinas (1,139,047 residents, 26.7% of homes rented). In the Nordeste region, which has 14 of the 55 cities, São Luís has the 11th highest share of rented homes. Its 2.98 residents per occupied home rank 8th of 55, among the most crowded.
| Measure | Value | Reference | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| São Luís: residents, 2022 Census | 1,037,775 | median city 616,317 | 15th of 55 |
| São Luís: share of Maranhão's residents | 15.3% | 6,776,699 in the state | 1st of 1 in the state |
| São Luís: estimate for 2026 against the census | +5.1% | Maranhão +3.7% | 37th of 55 |
| São Luís: occupied homes, 2022 | 348,484 | Maranhão 2,091,131 | 15th of 55 |
| São Luís: residents per occupied home | 2.98 | Maranhão 3.24 | 8th of 55 |
| São Luís: homes rented | 22% | Brazil 22.2%, Maranhão 12% | 47th of 55 |
| São Luís: homes owned by a resident | 73.3% | Maranhão 82% | 6th of 55 |
| São Luís: ITBI rate | not read | 41 of 55 cities read, median 2% | 0 read in Maranhão |
Notary and registry fees, the median financed home and the construction cost of Maranhão are on its state page.
The figures
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Notary deed (escritura), São Luís, on R$ 500 thousand | R$ 8,389 | Maranhão 2026 fee table |
| Registration at the property registry, São Luís, on R$ 500 thousand | R$ 8,736 | Maranhão 2026 fee table |
| Population, 2022 Census | 1,037,775 | IBGE |
| Population estimate, 2026 | 1,090,229 | IBGE |
| Occupied homes rented, 2022 Census | 22% | IBGE |
| Average rate, new housing loans to individuals (2026-08) | 11.28% | Banco Central do Brasil, SGS 20774 |
| Selic target, since 2026-09-17 | 13.75% | Banco Central do Brasil, Copom |
No open official series gives home prices by city in Brazil; the Banco Central median is by state.
Elsewhere in Maranhão
Sources
- Notary and registry fees, Maranhão: TJMA Resolucao-GP n. 143 of 15/12/2025 (monetary update 4.17780% INPC of the tables of Lei estadual 9.109/2009; general cap R$21,380.93), in force 01/01/2026; the calculator.
- Census and construction cost: IBGE, SIDRA (4714, 6579, 9930, 2296).
- Loans and values: Banco Central do Brasil open data (ODbL 1.0); Copom decisions.