Buying in São Luís, in detail
The ITBI law of São Luís could not be read by Payotte, so no ITBI rate and no ITBI amount appear on this page. Ask the prefeitura or the Secretaria de Finanças before you budget. What Payotte could read is the state fee table of Maranhão, which prints the full amount paid, fees plus state shares. On R$ 500,000, the escritura is R$ 8,389 and the registro R$ 8,736, together R$ 17,125 before any ITBI. On R$ 1 million, the escritura is R$ 16,383 and the registro R$ 16,210, together R$ 32,593.
The city had 1,037,775 residents in 2022 and an estimate of 1,090,229 for 2026, growth of 5.1%, 35th of the 55 Payotte cities. It is 15th by population, and 15th among the 100 largest cities in Brazil. It holds 15.3% of the Maranhão population. Its 348,484 occupied homes have 2.98 residents each, 7th of 55 and above the national 2.8.
Tenants live in 22% of homes, 47th of 55, almost exactly the Brazilian share of 22.2%. Owners hold 73.3%. For the state, the rented share is 12%.
The Banco Central data on financed homes give a Maranhão median valor de avaliação of R$ 222,920 up to June 2026, 19th of 27, covering only homes bought with a loan. A 30-year Tabela Price instalment on it is R$ 1,663. The SINAPI cost is R$ 1,975 per m2, 15th of 27. IPTU in 2024 averaged R$ 429 per home, 84th among the 100 largest cities.
Maceió has 957,916 residents and Campinas has 1,139,047, the closest in size.
A home priced at R$ 500,000 with the maximum 80% loan means R$ 400,000 borrowed. Over 30 years at the average annual rate of 11.28% in August 2026, the Tabela Price instalment is R$ 3,730 from the first month to the last. With SAC the first instalment is R$ 4,690 and the later ones fall. The Selic stands at 13.75%, and bank rates follow it. These loan figures are the same in every state. What changes from place to place is the ITBI, the cartório fees and the IPTU. IPTU is the yearly property tax collected by the city. SINAPI measures construction cost per m2.
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$ 3,738 a month with Price over 30 years at 11.31% (September 2026), or R$ 4,699 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 (2026-09) | 11.31% | 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.