Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Astana

For one person, living is cheaper in Astana: $1,102 a month against $1,244 in Sao Paulo, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Astana
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Astana Living Index

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Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,244

/mo nomad

Astana

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$1,102

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Astana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,244 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,102 in Astana, rent included.

Sao Paulo $1,244
Astana $1,102

A couple spends around $2,085 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,788 in Astana, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,085
Astana $1,788

A family of three spends $2,926 per month in Sao Paulo vs $2,474 in Astana, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,926
Astana $2,474

Sao Paulo costs about 13% more than Astana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sao Paulo and Astana are more affordable than the global median – Sao Paulo 7% lower, Astana 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 R$44.87

$10.89 ₸4,901

-17.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.46 R$248

$37.77 ₸17.0K

30.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 R$46.25

$7.71 ₸3,470

19.58%

Cappuccino

$2.54 R$12.77

$2.50 ₸1,125

1.60%

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

$1.45 R$7.29

$1.11 ₸500

30.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.57

$0.67 ₸300

35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 R$15.39

$1.29 ₸582

137.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 R$21.87

$2.23 ₸1,005

95.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.36

$1.25 ₸563

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.22

$0.59 ₸266

211.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.08

$1.62 ₸729

-12.96%

Eggs

$2.84 R$14.27

$2.22 ₸1,000

27.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 R$63.0

$11.83 ₸5,325

6.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 R$26.95

$5.67 ₸2,552

-5.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 R$53.8

$10.25 ₸4,615

4.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 R$13.74

$1.80 ₸810

52.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.08

$2.33 ₸1,049

-22.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.78

$2.28 ₸1,028

-32.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 R$9.95

$2.21 ₸996

-10.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.38

$0.66 ₸296

122.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.23

$0.42 ₸191

195.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 R$6.38

$1.46 ₸657

-13.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.82

$0.92 ₸415

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R$15.24

$2.25 ₸1,013

35.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 R$51.1

$10.74 ₸4,833

-5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 R$8.69

$1.32 ₸596

31.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 R$13.26

$2.37 ₸1,068

11.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.20

$0.23 ₸103

352.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.10 R$241

$16.27 ₸7,324

195.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 R$9.12

$2.15 ₸966

-15.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 R$5.10

$1.11 ₸498

-8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 R$51.0

$6.41 ₸2,883

58.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.38

$0.62 ₸278

104.84%

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

$24.3K R$122.0K

$24.1K ₸10.9M

0.79%

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

$34.0K R$170.6K

$30.2K ₸13.6M

12.79%

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

$104 R$522

$65.7 ₸29.6K

58.20%

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

$16.16 R$81.1

$9.81 ₸4,416

64.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.59 R$113

$17.72 ₸7,978

27.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 R$182

$56.6 ₸25.5K

-35.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.78 R$240

$20.12 ₸9,059

137.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 R$49.45

$6.46 ₸2,906

52.48%

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

$525 R$2,635

$365 ₸164.1K

44.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K R$83.2K

$11.6K ₸5.2M

42.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 R$336

$63.6 ₸28.6K

5.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 R$312

$46.04 ₸20.7K

35.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R$507

$117 ₸52.7K

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 R$456

$125 ₸56.3K

-27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 R$3,326

$561 ₸252.4K

18.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 R$2,121

$379 ₸170.6K

11.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 R$7,662

$1,103 ₸496.7K

38.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 R$5,061

$767 ₸345.4K

31.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,744 R$13.8K

$1,553 ₸699.3K

76.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,068 R$10.4K

$1,117 ₸503.0K

85.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$881 R$4,419

$876 ₸394.6K

0.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

15.5

-24.65%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 6, 2026

Last update for Astana: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sao Paulo

$423 34.3%

Astana

$379 34.2% 10.3% $44

Groceries & Markets

Sao Paulo

$243 19.8%

Astana

$224 20.2% 7.9% $19

Eating Out

Sao Paulo

$163 13.3%

Astana

$158 14.3% 3.1% $5

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Paulo

$145 11.7%

Astana

$158 14.3% 9.5% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Paulo

$143 11.6%

Astana

$93 8.4% 34.7% $49

Getting Around

Sao Paulo

$59 4.8%

Astana

$25 2.3% 58% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Paulo

$56 4.6%

Astana

$70 6.3% 24.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $663 in Sao Paulo versus $561 in Astana. 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 0% 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 $49.00 in Sao Paulo versus $38.00 in Astana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $224 – making Astana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🇰🇿 Astana

🕒 Local time

04:48 4:48 AM

13:48 1:48 PM

9 h ahead of Sao Paulo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,451,999

814,400 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.199 USD

1 BRL = 0.178 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 5.02 BRL (1 BRL = 0.199 USD). 1 EUR = 5.63 BRL (1 BRL = 0.178 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 450 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 505 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sao Paulo Astana 13,960 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Paulo
Astana

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 Astana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,244 in Sao Paulo, $1,102 in Astana – roughly 13% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,866 per month in Sao Paulo and $1,653 in Astana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $525 per month in Sao Paulo and $365 in Astana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Sao Paulo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Astana, where all-in costs run around $1,102, than in Sao Paulo at $1,244. In Astana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Paulo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Astana has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,102 in Astana to $1,244 in Sao Paulo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Astana. 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.