Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Guarulhos

For one person, living is cheaper in Guarulhos: $974 a month against $2,551 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,551
/mo nomad
Guarulhos
🇧🇷 Brazil
$974
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Guarulhos

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Berlin and in Guarulhos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,551 per month in Berlin vs $974 in Guarulhos, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,551
  • Guarulhos $974

A couple spends around $3,845 per month in Berlin vs $1,776 in Guarulhos, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,845
  • Guarulhos $1,776

A family of three spends $5,139 per month in Berlin vs $2,578 in Guarulhos, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,139
  • Guarulhos $2,578

Berlin costs about 162% more than Guarulhos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Berlin sits 89% above the global median, while Guarulhos is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.81
$9.14 R$46.36
82.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.7 €68.2
$39.64 R$201
93.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.47 €11.98
$8.79 R$44.57
53.24%
Cappuccino
$4.37 €3.89
$2.61 R$13.25
67.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 €3.09
$1.43 R$7.25
143.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 €2.77
$0.88 R$4.45
254.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.34 €4.75
$2.37 R$12.01
125.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 €3.91
$4.07 R$20.63
7.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.02 R$5.18
24.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.08
$1.86 R$9.42
25.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.40 €3.02
$1.33 R$6.72
155.64%
Eggs
$4.50 €4.00
$2.57 R$13.04
75.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.78 €14.93
$12.52 R$63.5
34.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.91 €10.59
$5.02 R$25.42
137.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.90 €15.92
$10.63 R$53.9
68.39%
Apples (1kg)
$3.46 €3.07
$2.40 R$12.17
44.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 €1.73
$1.72 R$8.74
13.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$1.60 R$8.12
103.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.71 €3.30
$1.53 R$7.74
142.48%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$1.26 R$6.39
66.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.25 R$6.34
67.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.27
$0.92 R$4.67
54.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 €0.84
$0.86 R$4.37
10.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.44 €9.29
$2.48 R$12.55
320.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.58 €5.85
$9.84 R$49.87
-33.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.56 R$7.92
-18.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 €1.85
$2.54 R$12.89
-18.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.34 €3.86
$1.21 R$6.15
258.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.6 €63.7
$102 R$519
-30.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.26 €4.68
$1.23 R$6.26
327.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.09 €2.75
$0.71 R$3.62
335.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.34 €32.32
$8.85 R$44.85
310.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.05
$1.29 R$6.53
79.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.4K €28.8K
$24.0K R$121.6K
35.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.3K
$34.6K R$175.4K
11.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$382 €340
$91.9 R$466
315.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.83 €16.75
$14.76 R$74.8
27.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.57 €43.20
$22.84 R$116
112.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.21 €35.76
$27.95 R$142
43.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.90 €31.04
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.73 €14.00
$10.11 R$51.3
55.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$142 €126
$436 R$2,208
-67.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K €14.0K
$11.1K R$56.2K
42.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.4 €84.8
$66.2 R$336
44.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.32 €41.20
$58.2 R$295
-20.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.4
$95.1 R$482
9.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €128
$80.5 R$408
78.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,469 €1,306
$349 R$1,767
321.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,114 €991
$161 R$814
594.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,751 €2,447
$990 R$5,017
177.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,107 €1,875
$768 R$3,891
174.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,454 €7,520
$1,980 R$10.0K
326.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,435 €4,834
$1,472 R$7,464
269.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Guarulhos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,543 €3,151
$379 R$1,924
833.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
11.25
-66.22%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Berlin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Guarulhos: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Guarulhos
$161 85.6% $954
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$449
Guarulhos
$129 71.2% $320
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$343
Guarulhos
$228 33.5% $115
Eating Out
Berlin
$288
Guarulhos
$160 44.4% $128
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$175
Guarulhos
$135 22.8% $40
Getting Around
Berlin
$110
Guarulhos
$112 2.2% $2.4
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$72
Guarulhos
$48 32.8% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,469 in Berlin versus $349 in Guarulhos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 834% higher in Berlin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Berlin versus $40.00 in Guarulhos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $343 vs $228 – making Guarulhos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇧🇷 Guarulhos
🕒 Local time
09:24 9:24 AM
04:24 4:24 AM
5 h behind Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
1,291,771
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Guarulhos 10,240 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Berlin
  • Guarulhos

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Berlin vs Guarulhos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guarulhos cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 162%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,826 per month in Berlin and $1,460 in Guarulhos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guarulhos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Berlin and in Guarulhos?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,551 in Berlin and $974 in Guarulhos. That's a gap of about 162%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 43% less in Guarulhos. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Guarulhos?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Guarulhos, where all-in costs run around $974, than in Berlin at $2,551. In Guarulhos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Guarulhos more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Guarulhos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Guarulhos?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Guarulhos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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