Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaganda and Sao Paulo

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaganda: $926 a month against $1,235 in Sao Paulo, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Karaganda
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Karaganda Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index

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Karaganda

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$926

/mo nomad

Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,235

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $926 per month in Karaganda vs $1,235 in Sao Paulo, rent included.

Karaganda $926
Sao Paulo $1,235

A couple spends around $1,492 per month in Karaganda vs $2,073 in Sao Paulo, rent included.

Karaganda $1,492
Sao Paulo $2,073

A family of three spends $2,058 per month in Karaganda vs $2,911 in Sao Paulo, rent included.

Karaganda $2,058
Sao Paulo $2,911

Karaganda is about 25% cheaper than Sao Paulo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Karaganda and Sao Paulo are more affordable than the global median – Karaganda 31% lower, Sao Paulo 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.85 ₸4,452

$8.81 R$44.68

11.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.09 ₸15.9K

$49.37 R$250

-28.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.43 ₸2,453

$8.80 R$44.63

-38.30%

Cappuccino

$1.92 ₸869

$2.49 R$12.63

-22.89%

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

$0.91 ₸413

$1.42 R$7.19

-35.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸290

$0.85 R$4.31

-24.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₸617

$2.98 R$15.11

-54.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₸1,267

$4.34 R$22.02

-35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 ₸605

$1.24 R$6.28

8.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₸222

$1.91 R$9.66

-74.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ₸597

$1.43 R$7.25

-7.69%

Eggs

$1.79 ₸808

$2.81 R$14.23

-36.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.12 ₸5,929

$12.74 R$64.6

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 ₸2,442

$5.41 R$27.44

-0.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 ₸5,060

$10.64 R$54.0

5.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 ₸673

$2.75 R$13.95

-45.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 ₸856

$1.81 R$9.19

4.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 ₸1,299

$1.63 R$8.27

76.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 ₸979

$2.00 R$10.16

8.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₸301

$1.40 R$7.10

-52.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 ₸267

$1.27 R$6.43

-53.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ₸467

$1.28 R$6.47

-19.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ₸310

$0.95 R$4.83

-27.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 ₸1,016

$2.99 R$15.15

-24.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.43 ₸3,813

$9.96 R$50.5

-15.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 ₸610

$1.85 R$9.37

-27.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ₸957

$2.54 R$12.90

-16.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ₸94.9

$1.09 R$5.50

-80.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.75 ₸7,119

$48.78 R$247

-67.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 ₸568

$1.85 R$9.39

-31.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ₸541

$0.99 R$4.99

21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 ₸1,496

$10.29 R$52.2

-67.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 ₸254

$1.34 R$6.78

-58.21%

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

$22.0K ₸10.0M

$24.4K R$123.8K

-9.68%

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

$31.9K ₸14.4M

$33.9K R$172.1K

-5.89%

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

$72.2 ₸32.7K

$104 R$529

-30.84%

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

$10.01 ₸4,523

$16.71 R$84.7

-40.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.86 ₸5,360

$22.18 R$112

-46.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.00 ₸20.8K

$35.82 R$182

28.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.82 ₸8,505

$47.28 R$240

-60.19%

Cinema Ticket

$5.34 ₸2,416

$10.06 R$51.0

-46.92%

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

$135 ₸60.8K

$579 R$2,936

-76.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K R$86.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ₸26.6K

$65.7 R$333

-10.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 ₸26.1K

$61.0 R$309

-5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 ₸35.8K

$100 R$509

-21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 ₸38.7K

$92.1 R$467

-7.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₸178.2K

$659 R$3,341

-40.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₸123.2K

$428 R$2,170

-36.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ₸333.5K

$1,515 R$7,678

-51.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$536 ₸242.3K

$1,026 R$5,201

-47.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,053 ₸476.1K

$2,773 R$14.1K

-62.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 ₸321.5K

$2,007 R$10.2K

-64.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$569 ₸257.3K

$909 R$4,609

-37.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.25

11.68

64.81%

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

Last update for Karaganda: 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

Karaganda

$273 29.5%

Sao Paulo

$428 34.7% 57% $155

Groceries & Markets

Karaganda

$215 23.2%

Sao Paulo

$244 19.8% 13.5% $29

Eating Out

Karaganda

$137 14.8%

Sao Paulo

$159 12.9% 16.6% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Karaganda

$127 13.7%

Sao Paulo

$144 11.6% 13.4% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Karaganda

$94 10.2%

Sao Paulo

$143 11.6% 52.3% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Karaganda

$57 6.1%

Sao Paulo

$56 4.5% 1.3% $0.8

Getting Around

Karaganda

$24 2.6%

Sao Paulo

$60 4.9% 151% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Karaganda 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.

Salaries run about 60% higher in Sao Paulo, 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 $35.00 in Karaganda versus $49.00 in Sao Paulo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $244 – making Karaganda the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇿 Karaganda

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🕒 Local time

08:35 8:35 AM

23:35 11:35 PM

9 h behind Karaganda

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

520,486

11,451,999

💱 Currency

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to KZT – Kazakhstani Tenge Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇿 Kazakhstani Tenge (₸)

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 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).

USD to KZT in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Karaganda Sao Paulo 14,100 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Karaganda
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

Karaganda vs Sao Paulo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $926 in Karaganda, $1,235 in Sao Paulo – roughly 33% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,389 per month in Karaganda and $1,852 in Sao Paulo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karaganda, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 210% less in Karaganda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $135 per month in Karaganda and $579 in Sao Paulo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaganda, where all-in costs run around $926, than in Sao Paulo at $1,235. In Karaganda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Paulo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Karaganda has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $926 in Karaganda to $1,235 in Sao Paulo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Karaganda. 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.