Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Assis Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Assis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,204 in Sao Paulo versus $828 in Assis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,001 in Sao Paulo versus $1,284 in Assis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,798 in Sao Paulo versus $1,739 in Assis.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 45% more expensive than in Assis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 13% lower, Assis 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.04 R$46.33

$5.81 R$29.81

55.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.25 R$247

$23.06 R$118

109.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 R$45.42

$5.85 R$29.99

51.45%

Cappuccino

$2.56 R$13.13

$1.96 R$10.02

30.61%

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

$1.36 R$6.99

$1.19 R$6.10

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.41

$0.72 R$3.70

19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 R$15.32

$1.57 R$8.05

90.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 R$22.48

$1.97 R$10.09

122.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.89

$1.09 R$5.58

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 R$9.40

$1.37 R$7.02

33.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.94

$1.43 R$7.31

-5.59%

Eggs

$2.78 R$14.23

$1.53 R$7.84

81.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 R$61.6

$7.14 R$36.59

68.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 R$26.05

$3.89 R$19.94

30.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 R$54.7

$8.10 R$41.52

31.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.56

$1.81 R$9.26

45.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.86

$1.19 R$6.09

45.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.11

$0.75 R$3.84

110.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.17

$1.37 R$7.03

30.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.76

$1.12 R$5.72

17.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.31

$0.98 R$5.03

25.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 R$6.03

$0.89 R$4.55

32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.93 R$4.75

-1.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R$15.41

$2.25 R$11.52

33.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 R$50.9

$5.88 R$30.16

68.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 R$8.63

$1.39 R$7.13

20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 R$13.86

$2.88 R$14.75

-6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.00 R$5.15

1.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.53 R$239

$41.89 R$215

11.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 R$8.84

$2.29 R$11.76

-24.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R$5.18

$0.76 R$3.88

32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 R$52.5

$2.71 R$13.91

277.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R$6.23

$1.19 R$6.10

2.52%

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

$23.3K R$119.3K

$34.8K R$178.2K

-33.09%

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

$33.4K R$171.4K

$31.9K R$163.4K

4.92%

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

$98.9 R$507

$82.0 R$420

20.65%

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

$15.59 R$79.9

$10.54 R$54.0

47.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.77 R$112

$21.99 R$113

-1.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 R$176

$24.68 R$127

39.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.18 R$226

$26.54 R$136

66.47%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 R$51.3

$5.78 R$29.62

73.01%

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

$510 R$2,616

$294 R$1,509

73.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K R$81.1K

$7,299 R$37.4K

116.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 R$335

$40.77 R$209

60.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 R$319

$56.1 R$288

10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 R$494

$83.6 R$428

15.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 R$443

$57.1 R$293

51.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 R$3,425

$345 R$1,768

93.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,098

$236 R$1,210

73.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 R$7,461

$646 R$3,310

125.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 R$4,774

$454 R$2,326

105.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,879 R$14.8K

$1,599 R$8,198

80.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,031 R$10.4K

$1,136 R$5,825

78.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 R$4,520

$582 R$2,981

51.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

10.5

14.67%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: September 6, 2026

Last update for Assis: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $668 in Sao Paulo and $345 in Assis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 52% 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: $48.00 in Sao Paulo vs $23.00 in Assis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $172 per month, with Assis 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

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

Assis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 52% higher in Sao Paulo, 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: $668 in Sao Paulo versus $345 in Assis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Assis runs roughly 11% less than in Sao Paulo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $510 in Sao Paulo versus $294 in Assis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $828 in Assis versus $1,204 in Sao Paulo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assis but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Assis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assis 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.

Expats usually find Assis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.