Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Abadan

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Paulo: $1,244 a month against $2,174 in Abadan, rent and utilities included – about $11,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Sao Paulo
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,244
/mo nomad
Abadan
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
$2,174
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Sao Paulo versus $2,174 in Abadan.

  • Sao Paulo $1,244
  • Abadan $2,174

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,085 in Sao Paulo versus $3,269 in Abadan.

  • Sao Paulo $2,085
  • Abadan $3,269

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,926 in Sao Paulo versus $4,365 in Abadan.

  • Sao Paulo $2,926
  • Abadan $4,365

Living in Sao Paulo costs roughly 43% less than in Abadan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Paulo is 7% below, Abadan is 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.94 R$44.87
$30.95 TMT 104
-71.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.46 R$248
$85.2 TMT 285
-41.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.22 R$46.25
$12.95 TMT 43.37
-28.80%
Cappuccino
$2.54 R$12.77
$6.96 TMT 23.32
-63.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 R$7.29
$1.53 TMT 5.11
-5.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 R$4.57
$0.88 TMT 2.95
3.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.07 R$15.39
$5.84 TMT 19.57
-47.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 R$21.87
$13.30 TMT 44.55
-67.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 R$6.36
$4.53 TMT 15.18
-71.96%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 R$9.22
$2.08 TMT 6.96
-11.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.41 R$7.08
$5.82 TMT 19.48
-75.77%
Eggs
$2.84 R$14.27
$5.93 TMT 19.87
-52.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.56 R$63.0
$38.06 TMT 128
-67.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.37 R$26.95
$20.32 TMT 68.1
-73.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.72 R$53.8
$23.18 TMT 77.7
-53.75%
Apples (1kg)
$2.74 R$13.74
$5.20 TMT 17.41
-47.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 R$9.08
$8.52 TMT 28.53
-78.76%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 R$7.78
$7.34 TMT 24.58
-78.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.98 R$9.95
$3.61 TMT 12.11
-45.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 R$7.38
$2.26 TMT 7.57
-34.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.24 R$6.23
$1.39 TMT 4.65
-10.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.27 R$6.38
$2.73 TMT 9.16
-53.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 R$4.82
$1.08 TMT 3.63
-11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.04 R$15.24
$25.14 TMT 84.2
-87.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 R$51.1
$42.11 TMT 141
-75.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 R$8.69
$5.08 TMT 17.03
-65.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 R$13.26
$2.93 TMT 9.81
-9.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.04 R$5.20
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.10 R$241
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.82 R$9.12
$2.78 TMT 9.33
-34.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 R$5.10
$0.82 TMT 2.76
24.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.16 R$51.0
$8.30 TMT 27.80
22.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 R$6.38
$0.41 TMT 1.37
209.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K R$122.0K
$44.6K TMT 149.5K
-45.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.0K R$170.6K
$56.2K TMT 188.4K
-39.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 R$522
$576 TMT 1,930
-81.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.16 R$81.1
$57.7 TMT 193
-71.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.59 R$113
$104 TMT 347
-78.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.27 R$182
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.78 R$240
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.85 R$49.45
$8.57 TMT 28.70
14.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$525 R$2,635
$22.90 TMT 76.7
2193.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K R$83.2K
$24.4K TMT 81.7K
-32.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.9 R$336
$56.1 TMT 188
19.17%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$62.3 R$312
$115 TMT 386
-45.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 R$507
$368 TMT 1,234
-72.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.9 R$456
$192 TMT 643
-52.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$663 R$3,326
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$423 R$2,121
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,527 R$7,662
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,009 R$5,061
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,744 R$13.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,068 R$10.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Paulo
Abadan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$881 R$4,419
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.68
9.5
22.95%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 6, 2026

Last update for Abadan: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sao Paulo
$423
Abadan
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Sao Paulo
$243
Abadan
$672 176% $429
Eating Out
Sao Paulo
$163
Abadan
$435 167% $272
Clothing & Footwear
Sao Paulo
$145
Abadan
$329 128% $185
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Paulo
$143
Abadan
$738 417% $595
Getting Around
Sao Paulo
$59
Abadan
$6.9 * 88.3% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Sao Paulo
$56
Abadan
$17 * 69.4% $39

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

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $49.00 in Sao Paulo vs $85.0 in Abadan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $672 per month, with Sao Paulo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Sao Paulo
🇹🇲 Abadan
🕒 Local time
06:50 6:50 AM
14:50 2:50 PM
8 h ahead of Sao Paulo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,451,999
39,481
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TMT, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 5.02 BRL (1 BRL = 0.199 USD). 1 EUR = 5.62 BRL (1 BRL = 0.178 EUR).

Turkmenistani Manat exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.35 TMT (1 TMT = 0.299 USD). 1 EUR = 3.75 TMT (1 TMT = 0.266 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sao Paulo Abadan 12,840 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sao Paulo
  • Abadan

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
Sao Paulo vs Abadan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abadan cheaper than Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,866 in Sao Paulo and $3,260 in Abadan 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $525 in Sao Paulo versus $22.90 in Abadan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Sao Paulo or in Abadan?
Dining out is cheaper in Sao Paulo – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $85.0 in Abadan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sao Paulo or in Abadan?
At $1,244 in Sao Paulo versus $2,174 in Abadan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Paulo but tight or insufficient in Abadan. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Paulo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sao Paulo or Abadan more family-friendly?
For families, Sao Paulo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Abadan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Sao Paulo or Abadan?
Safety-wise, Sao Paulo and Abadan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sao Paulo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Abadan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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