Brazil : Cost of Living by City
- Belo Horizonte
- Brasilia
- Campinas
- Curitiba
- Florianopolis
- Porto Alegre
- Recife
- Rio de Janeiro
- Sao Paulo
How Much Does It Cost to Live in Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo is an enormous city with 12 million people living in its center, so if you are sure that you want to and are able to manage your life in such a huge city, then you should include all the advantages and disadvantages the living there might include.
You will need to have a salary high enough to be able to provide for yourself and your family in this expensive metropolis.
If you are earning your wage in more developed country and live here, then you might not find Sao Paulo so expensive.
Cost of Living Breakdown in Sao Paulo
RESTAURANTS
The amount of money that you will be spending in restaurants highly depends on your preferences and habits.
If you dine out from time to time, then this expense would not affect your budget so much.
Nevertheless, if you eat out daily, then inexpensive restaurants should be your choice.
| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $6.66 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $2.13 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $0.85 |
MARKETS
Brazil is known for not so high prices of food and the same situation is in Sao Paulo.
Savvy people would take advantage of discounted food at the supermarkets or fresh domestic products at the local markets and prepare the meals at home, rather than spending the huge amount of money in restaurants.
| Average Market Prices | |
|---|---|
| Milk (1 Liter) | $3.57 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $1.47 |
| Eggs (12) | $1.82 |
TRANSPORTATION
You will need to think about the location of your future home and its distance from the working place as commuting there is not naive at all.
Traffic jams are normal and common, driving is hectic and finding a parking lot is almost impossible.
In this situation, public transport is the only clever means of getting through the city.
| Average Transport Prices | |
|---|---|
| One Way Ticket | $1.07 |
| Monthly Pass | $51.74 |
| Gasoline | $4.29 |
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
In terms of utilities, it can be estimated that Sao Paulo is not too expensive and that service prices are reasonable.
You will need to separate around $90 per month for water, power, heating and the Internet.
The bills will be higher during the winter months, which is normal situation in almost every country.
| Average Utilities Prices | |
|---|---|
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $58.06 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.35 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $29.81 |
SPORTS & LEISURE
Sao Paulo is a very hectic city, great for people who want to have fun and entertainment is very important to people living there.
This can have positive and negative impact on your budget, considering the fact that you can save some money by exercising outdoors and not paying the fitness pass.
| Average Leisure Prices | |
|---|---|
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $31.09 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $31.14 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $9.32 |
CLOTHING & SHOES
Last, but not the least expense in every person’s life is clothes.
It is not of utmost importance for survival, thus people rather spend money on other things.
Clothing item prices in Sao Paulo are quite the same as in other major cities in Brazil, not too expensive, but still inaccessible to the minimum wage earners.
| Average Clothing Prices | |
|---|---|
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $57.42 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $45.37 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $92.74 |
RENT PER MONTH
Accommodation is a very important part of your life once getting to Sao Paulo, and many foreigners do not take it as serious the fact that commuting is really difficult here.
It is highly suggested to make sure that your apartment is within walking distance to your office and look for accommodation is safe parts of the city so as to stay away from troubles.
| Average Rent Prices | |
|---|---|
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $485.28 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $347.42 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $956.35 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo is frequently compared to Rio de Janeiro in terms of prices, advantages, disadvantages and standard of living, and it can be concluded that these two biggest cities in Brazil are quite similar.
The most money is given on food and rent, and they together take half of the monthly wage.
The other half is divided into six other categories, of which transportation and restaurants take the most.
Almost equal amount of money is spent on sports and utilities in Sao Paulo.
Average Costs Breakdown
Sao Paulo: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
The average salary in Sao Paulo is of $560 per month, even though there are people who earn much more and many of them who earn only $280.
The difference is huge, thus making the life of people distinct and versatile.
While some of them can afford paying monthly expenses in Sao Paulo $1500 and have a comfortable life, the others are struggling to survive with wages that are lower than the rent they need to pay.
Mortgage interest rate is almost the same in the whole country.
Sao Paulo Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Sao Paulo Safety Review
| OVERALL RISK | MEDIUM |
|---|---|
| TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK | MEDIUM |
| PICKPOCKETS RISK | MEDIUM |
| NATURAL DISASTERS RISK | MEDIUM |
| MUGGING RISK | HIGH |
| TERRORISM RISK | LOW |
| SCAMS RISK | MEDIUM |
| WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK | LOW |
| TAP WATER RISK | HIGH |
Cost of Living by City in Brazil
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Belo Horizonte |
40.48 |
| Brasilia |
44.02 |
| Campinas |
44.45 |
| Curitiba |
38.34 |
| Florianopolis |
40.26 |
| Porto Alegre |
40.56 |
| Recife |
40.67 |
| Rio de Janeiro |
34.7 |
Isn’t it a bit risky to assume that everyone can manage high living costs just because they might earn a wage from a more developed country? What about the local salaries?
Is it really possible to thrive in such an expensive city without a high salary? I’ve heard so many mixed experiences from people trying to make it there. What have you found to be the biggest challenge when it comes to living costs?