Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Sao Paulo

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Paulo: $1,222 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index

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Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,222

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Des Moines, IA 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 Des Moines, IA and in Sao Paulo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,222 in Sao Paulo.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
Sao Paulo $1,222

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,044 in Sao Paulo.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
Sao Paulo $2,044

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,867 in Sao Paulo.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
Sao Paulo $2,867

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 78% more expensive than in Sao Paulo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 60% above, Sao Paulo is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$8.71 R$44.15

126.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$48.61 R$246

66.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$9.03 R$45.77

35.33%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$2.55 R$12.94

141.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.35 R$6.83

117.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.91 R$4.63

181.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.07 R$15.55

62.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.38 R$22.21

34.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.19 R$6.05

-23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.80 R$9.14

68.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.48 R$7.51

128.38%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$2.82 R$14.31

41.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$12.61 R$63.9

-23.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$5.40 R$27.36

83.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$10.76 R$54.6

27.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.82 R$14.28

53.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.82 R$9.25

-17.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.60 R$8.14

183.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.03 R$10.28

81.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.46 R$7.40

110.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.25 R$6.35

71.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.25 R$6.32

90.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.98 R$4.98

123.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.00 R$15.18

161.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$9.71 R$49.22

52.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.84 R$9.32

-7.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.52 R$12.80

22.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.07 R$5.41

61.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$47.26 R$240

23.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.81 R$9.16

8.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.01 R$5.14

21.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$10.24 R$51.9

92.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.29 R$6.52

-27.91%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K $27.2K

$23.5K R$119.3K

15.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.1K $25.1K

$34.5K R$174.9K

-27.13%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$185 $185

$104 R$527

77.43%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$53.6 $53.6

$16.60 R$84.1

222.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$22.04 R$112

218.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$36.43 R$185

75.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$47.29 R$240

-57.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$9.69 R$49.12

3.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,187 $1,187

$573 R$2,906

106.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$16.9K R$85.8K

-29.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$66.3 R$336

-10.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$61.1 R$310

-29.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$98.8 R$501

2.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$91.4 R$463

58.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$654 R$3,316

79.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$418 R$2,120

108.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$1,524 R$7,724

14.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$992 R$5,028

40.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$2,670 R$13.5K

-13.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$2,019 R$10.2K

15.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$900 R$4,563

305.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

11.68

-43.84%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

Sao Paulo

$418 34.2% 52.1% $454

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

Sao Paulo

$243 19.9% 30.4% $106

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

Sao Paulo

$161 13.1% 50.9% $166

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

Sao Paulo

$143 11.7% 53.7% $166

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

Sao Paulo

$143 11.7% 8.9% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

Sao Paulo

$56 4.6% 33.4% $28

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

Sao Paulo

$58 4.8% 20.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $654 in Sao Paulo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 305% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $49.00 in Sao Paulo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $243 per month, with Sao Paulo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🕒 Local time

05:58 5:58 AM

07:58 7:58 AM

2 h ahead of Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

11,451,999

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Des Moines, IA Sao Paulo 8,730 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
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

Des Moines, IA vs Sao Paulo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Paulo wins on cost – living expenses run 78% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sao Paulo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 305% higher in Des Moines, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $654 in Sao Paulo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Paulo – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,222 in Sao Paulo – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,222 in Sao Paulo versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Paulo but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Paulo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sao Paulo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,222 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sao Paulo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA and Sao Paulo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sao Paulo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.