Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Des Moines, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Paulo: $1,222 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index

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Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,222

/mo nomad

Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Paulo and in Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,222 in Sao Paulo versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA.

Sao Paulo $1,222
Des Moines, IA $2,171

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Sao Paulo versus $3,236 in Des Moines, IA.

Sao Paulo $2,044
Des Moines, IA $3,236

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Sao Paulo versus $4,301 in Des Moines, IA.

Sao Paulo $2,867
Des Moines, IA $4,301

Living in Sao Paulo costs roughly 44% less than in Des Moines, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Paulo is 10% below, Des Moines, IA is 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.15

$19.69 $19.69

-55.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.61 R$246

$80.8 $80.8

-39.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 R$45.77

$12.22 $12.22

-26.10%

Cappuccino

$2.55 R$12.94

$6.16 $6.16

-58.60%

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

$1.35 R$6.83

$2.93 $2.93

-53.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.63

$2.56 $2.56

-64.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 R$15.55

$4.99 $4.99

-38.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 R$22.21

$5.89 $5.89

-25.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R$6.05

$0.91 $0.91

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 R$9.14

$3.03 $3.03

-40.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.51

$3.38 $3.38

-56.21%

Eggs

$2.82 R$14.31

$4.00 $4.00

-29.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 R$63.9

$9.69 $9.69

30.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 R$27.36

$9.91 $9.91

-45.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 R$54.6

$13.68 $13.68

-21.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 R$14.28

$4.33 $4.33

-34.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.25

$1.51 $1.51

20.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.14

$4.54 $4.54

-64.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.28

$3.68 $3.68

-44.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.40

$3.07 $3.07

-52.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.35

$2.14 $2.14

-41.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 R$6.32

$2.38 $2.38

-47.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 R$4.98

$2.19 $2.19

-55.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 R$15.18

$7.85 $7.85

-61.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.71 R$49.22

$14.79 $14.79

-34.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 R$9.32

$1.70 $1.70

8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 R$12.80

$3.09 $3.09

-18.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 R$5.41

$1.73 $1.73

-38.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.26 R$240

$58.1 $58.1

-18.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 R$9.16

$1.97 $1.97

-8.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R$5.14

$1.23 $1.23

-17.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 R$51.9

$19.70 $19.70

-48.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.52

$0.93 $0.93

38.71%

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

$23.5K R$119.3K

$27.2K $27.2K

-13.40%

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

$34.5K R$174.9K

$25.1K $25.1K

37.23%

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

$104 R$527

$185 $185

-43.64%

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

$16.60 R$84.1

$53.6 $53.6

-69.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.04 R$112

$70.2 $70.2

-68.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.43 R$185

$63.8 $63.8

-42.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.29 R$240

$20.14 $20.14

134.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.69 R$49.12

$9.99 $9.99

-3.00%

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

$573 R$2,906

$1,187 $1,187

-51.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K R$85.8K

$12.0K $12.0K

41.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 R$336

$59.5 $59.5

11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 R$310

$42.98 $42.98

42.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.8 R$501

$101 $101

-2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 R$463

$145 $145

-37.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 R$3,316

$1,177 $1,177

-44.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 R$2,120

$872 $872

-52.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 R$7,724

$1,738 $1,738

-12.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$992 R$5,028

$1,394 $1,394

-28.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,670 R$13.5K

$2,320 $2,320

15.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,019 R$10.2K

$2,325 $2,325

-13.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$900 R$4,563

$3,647 $3,647

-75.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

6.56

78.05%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sao Paulo

$418 34.2%

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2% 109% $454

Groceries & Markets

Sao Paulo

$243 19.9%

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1% 43.7% $106

Eating Out

Sao Paulo

$161 13.1%

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1% 104% $166

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Paulo

$143 11.7%

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2% 9.7% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Paulo

$143 11.7%

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2% 116% $166

Getting Around

Sao Paulo

$58 4.8%

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4% 25.3% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Paulo

$56 4.6%

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9% 50% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Sao Paulo and $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 305% 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: $49.00 in Sao Paulo vs $81.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $349 per month, with Sao Paulo cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🕒 Local time

07:23 7:23 AM

05:23 5:23 AM

2 h behind Sao Paulo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,451,999

214,133

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sao Paulo Des Moines, IA 8,730 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Paulo
Des Moines, IA

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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Paulo wins on cost – living expenses run 78% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sao Paulo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 305% lower in Des Moines, IA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $654 in Sao Paulo versus $1,177 in Des Moines, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Paulo – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,222 per month in Sao Paulo versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,222 in Sao Paulo versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Paulo but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Paulo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sao Paulo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,222 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sao Paulo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sao Paulo and Des Moines, IA 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 Sao Paulo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.