Cost of Living Comparison Between Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and Sao Paulo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $1,059 in Sao Paulo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,161 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $1,691 in Sao Paulo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,558 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $2,323 in Sao Paulo.

Living in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais costs roughly 28% less than in Sao Paulo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 43% lower, Sao Paulo 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 R$17.40

$7.36 R$36.57

-52.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.12 R$70.2

$39.25 R$195

-64.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 R$33.52

$7.06 R$35.08

-4.39%

Cappuccino

$1.55 R$7.68

$2.00 R$9.94

-22.50%

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

$0.97 R$4.83

$1.19 R$5.91

-18.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.26

$0.83 R$4.12

-20.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 R$9.19

$2.11 R$10.51

-12.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 R$14.82

$2.84 R$14.09

4.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.72

$1.06 R$5.25

-10.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 R$7.26

$1.83 R$9.09

-20.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.63

$1.29 R$6.43

19.38%

Eggs

$1.89 R$9.37

$2.41 R$11.96

-21.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.01 R$39.82

$11.04 R$54.9

-27.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 R$17.09

$4.18 R$20.75

-17.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R$36.29

$9.22 R$45.83

-20.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 R$11.06

$2.85 R$14.17

-21.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.57

$1.92 R$9.53

-31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.45

$1.70 R$8.47

-35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.76

$1.78 R$8.87

-23.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.27

$1.43 R$7.09

-25.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 R$4.05

$1.24 R$6.17

-33.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 R$3.52

$1.02 R$5.05

-30.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.15

$0.74 R$3.66

-14.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 R$10.45

$2.59 R$12.87

-18.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.19 R$40.72

$10.15 R$50.5

-19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.08

$1.35 R$6.69

-24.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 R$10.94

$2.37 R$11.79

-7.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R$4.42

$0.94 R$4.69

-5.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.90 R$193

$45.42 R$226

-14.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R$4.64

$1.06 R$5.26

-12.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 R$5.42

$0.75 R$3.72

45.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 R$17.72

$9.32 R$46.34

-61.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.17

$1.11 R$5.53

-6.31%

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

$11.0K R$54.4K

$21.3K R$105.7K

-48.48%

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

$26.9K R$133.8K

$28.4K R$141.2K

-5.30%

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

$64.6 R$321

$53.6 R$266

20.60%

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

$14.43 R$71.7

$13.41 R$66.7

7.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.13 R$105

$19.96 R$99.2

5.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.79 R$113

$29.18 R$145

-21.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.68 R$108

$35.88 R$178

-39.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 R$35.33

$7.92 R$39.37

-10.23%

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

$218 R$1,084

$506 R$2,517

-56.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,825 R$9,069

$15.1K R$75.2K

-87.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 R$258

$51.0 R$253

1.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 R$187

$43.22 R$215

-12.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 R$353

$79.3 R$394

-10.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.1 R$329

$74.3 R$369

-11.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 R$1,570

$661 R$3,286

-52.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,082

$406 R$2,017

-46.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,870

$1,279 R$6,357

-54.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,035

$746 R$3,709

-45.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,651 R$8,206

$2,984 R$14.8K

-44.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,199 R$5,959

$2,181 R$10.8K

-45.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$872 R$4,334

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.83

11.56

-6.31%

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

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: April 21, 2026

Last update for Sao Paulo: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $316 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and $661 in Sao Paulo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais vs $39 in Sao Paulo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $218 per month, with Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais cheaper across the board.

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

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais vs Sao Paulo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,147 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and $1,588 in Sao Paulo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $316 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $661 in Sao Paulo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais runs roughly 17% less than in Sao Paulo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $218 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $506 in Sao Paulo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $765 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $1,059 in Sao Paulo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sao Paulo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.