Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Coatzacoalcos and Sao Paulo

For one person, living is cheaper in Coatzacoalcos: $1,156 a month against $1,235 in Sao Paulo, rent and utilities included – about $950 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Coatzacoalcos
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,156
/mo nomad
Sao Paulo
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,235
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Coatzacoalcos and in Sao Paulo

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

A single person spends $1,156 per month in Coatzacoalcos vs $1,235 in Sao Paulo, rent included.

  • Coatzacoalcos $1,156
  • Sao Paulo $1,235

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in Coatzacoalcos vs $2,073 in Sao Paulo, rent included.

  • Coatzacoalcos $1,845
  • Sao Paulo $2,073

A family of three spends $2,535 per month in Coatzacoalcos vs $2,911 in Sao Paulo, rent included.

  • Coatzacoalcos $2,535
  • Sao Paulo $2,911

Coatzacoalcos is about 6% cheaper than Sao Paulo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Coatzacoalcos and Sao Paulo are more affordable than the global median – Coatzacoalcos 14% lower, Sao Paulo 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.20 MX$207
$8.81 R$44.68
27.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.55 MX$805
$49.37 R$250
-11.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 MX$161
$8.80 R$44.63
-1.14%
Cappuccino
$3.97 MX$73.3
$2.49 R$12.63
59.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.43
$1.42 R$7.19
-14.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 MX$19.47
$0.85 R$4.31
23.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.73 MX$50.4
$2.98 R$15.11
-8.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.32 MX$79.8
$4.34 R$22.02
-0.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.59 MX$29.34
$1.24 R$6.28
28.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.93 MX$54.2
$1.91 R$9.66
53.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$30.24
$1.43 R$7.25
14.69%
Eggs
$2.78 MX$51.4
$2.81 R$14.23
-1.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.00 MX$166
$12.74 R$64.6
-29.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.74 MX$162
$5.41 R$27.44
61.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.36 MX$228
$10.64 R$54.0
16.17%
Apples (1kg)
$2.45 MX$45.33
$2.75 R$13.95
-10.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 MX$27.86
$1.81 R$9.19
-16.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 MX$36.49
$1.63 R$8.27
20.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.73 MX$31.97
$2.00 R$10.16
-13.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$33.14
$1.40 R$7.10
27.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.93 MX$35.75
$1.27 R$6.43
51.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 MX$28.69
$1.28 R$6.47
21.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 MX$18.37
$0.95 R$4.83
4.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.66 MX$86.2
$2.99 R$15.15
55.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.11 MX$187
$9.96 R$50.5
1.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 MX$33.09
$1.85 R$9.37
-3.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 MX$58.7
$2.54 R$12.90
24.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.56 MX$10.43
$1.09 R$5.50
-48.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$48.78 R$247
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.61 MX$48.31
$1.85 R$9.39
41.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.82 MX$33.65
$0.99 R$4.99
83.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.93 MX$220
$10.29 R$52.2
15.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 MX$23.37
$1.34 R$6.78
-5.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.5K MX$378.1K
$24.4K R$123.8K
-16.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2K MX$427.9K
$33.9K R$172.1K
-31.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.7 MX$974
$104 R$529
-49.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.25 MX$467
$16.71 R$84.7
51.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.28 MX$560
$22.18 R$112
36.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.66 MX$567
$35.82 R$182
-14.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.77 MX$402
$47.28 R$240
-53.96%
Cinema Ticket
$5.56 MX$103
$10.06 R$51.0
-44.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$240 MX$4,438
$579 R$2,936
-58.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,095 MX$75.7K
$17.1K R$86.6K
-76.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.1 MX$945
$65.7 R$333
-22.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.31 MX$819
$61.0 R$309
-27.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 MX$1,637
$100 R$509
-11.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.9 MX$1,421
$92.1 R$467
-16.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$661 MX$12.2K
$659 R$3,341
0.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$408 MX$7,542
$428 R$2,170
-4.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,158 MX$21.4K
$1,515 R$7,678
-23.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$770 MX$14.2K
$1,026 R$5,201
-24.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,883 MX$34.8K
$2,773 R$14.1K
-32.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,026 MX$19.0K
$2,007 R$10.2K
-48.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Coatzacoalcos
Sao Paulo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$909 R$4,609
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
11.68
-3.25%

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

Last update for Coatzacoalcos: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Coatzacoalcos
$408
Sao Paulo
$428 4.9% $20
Groceries & Markets
Coatzacoalcos
$271
Sao Paulo
$244 10% $27
Eating Out
Coatzacoalcos
$195
Sao Paulo
$159 18.1% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Coatzacoalcos
$117
Sao Paulo
$144 22.3% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Coatzacoalcos
$108
Sao Paulo
$143 32.4% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Coatzacoalcos
$42
Sao Paulo
$56 33.8% $14
Getting Around
Coatzacoalcos
$14 *
Sao Paulo
$60 329% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $661 in Coatzacoalcos versus $659 in Sao Paulo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Coatzacoalcos versus $49.00 in Sao Paulo. Groceries tell a different story – $271 in Coatzacoalcos vs $244 in Sao Paulo – so Sao Paulo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Coatzacoalcos
🇧🇷 Sao Paulo
🕒 Local time
07:13 7:13 AM
10:13 10:13 AM
3 h ahead of Coatzacoalcos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
212,540
11,451,999
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

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
  • Coatzacoalcos Sao Paulo 6,960 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Coatzacoalcos
  • Sao Paulo

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
Coatzacoalcos vs Sao Paulo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sao Paulo cheaper than Coatzacoalcos?
Yes – Sao Paulo is pricier by about 7%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,733 per month in Coatzacoalcos and $1,852 in Sao Paulo. 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 Coatzacoalcos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Coatzacoalcos or in Sao Paulo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Coatzacoalcos and $49.00 in Sao Paulo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Coatzacoalcos and in Sao Paulo?
Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Sao Paulo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Coatzacoalcos or in Sao Paulo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Coatzacoalcos, where all-in costs run around $1,156, than in Sao Paulo at $1,235. In Coatzacoalcos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Paulo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Coatzacoalcos or Sao Paulo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Coatzacoalcos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Coatzacoalcos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sao Paulo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Coatzacoalcos vs other spots: cost of living compared

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