Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Gan

For one person, living is cheaper in Gan: $44.72 a month against $1,244 in Sao Paulo, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index

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Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,244

/mo nomad

Gan

🇲🇻 Maldives

$44.72

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,244 per month in Sao Paulo vs $44.72 in Gan, rent included.

Sao Paulo $1,244
Gan $44.72

A couple spends around $2,085 per month in Sao Paulo vs $72.5 in Gan, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,085
Gan $72.5

A family of three spends $2,926 per month in Sao Paulo vs $100 in Gan, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,926
Gan $100

Sao Paulo costs about 2682% more than Gan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sao Paulo and Gan are more affordable than the global median – Sao Paulo 7% lower, Gan 97% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 R$44.64

$5.36 MVR 82.6

66.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.46 R$247

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 R$46.01

Cappuccino

$2.54 R$12.70

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

$1.45 R$7.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.55

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 R$15.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 R$21.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.32

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.17

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.05

Eggs

$2.84 R$14.20

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 R$62.7

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 R$26.81

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 R$53.5

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 R$13.67

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.03

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.74

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 R$9.90

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.34

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.20

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 R$6.35

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.79

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R$15.16

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 R$50.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 R$8.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 R$13.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.18

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.10 R$240

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 R$9.07

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 R$5.07

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 R$50.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.35

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

$24.3K R$121.4K

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

$34.0K R$169.8K

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

$104 R$519

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

$16.16 R$80.7

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.59 R$113

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 R$181

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.78 R$239

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 R$49.19

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

$525 R$2,622

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K R$82.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 R$334

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 R$311

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R$505

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 R$454

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 R$3,309

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 R$2,110

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 R$7,622

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 R$5,035

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,744 R$13.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,068 R$10.3K

$555 MVR 8,559

272.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$881 R$4,396

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 6, 2026

Last update for Gan: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sao Paulo

$423 34.3%

Gan

–

Groceries & Markets

Sao Paulo

$243 19.8%

Gan

–

Eating Out

Sao Paulo

$163 13.3%

Gan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Paulo

$145 11.7%

Gan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Paulo

$143 11.6%

Gan

–

Getting Around

Sao Paulo

$59 4.8%

Gan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Paulo

$56 4.6%

Gan

–

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🇲🇻 Gan

🕒 Local time

08:28 8:28 AM

16:28 4:28 PM

8 h ahead of Sao Paulo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,451,999

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Maldivian Rufiyaa MVR Rf

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

100 MVR = 6.49 USD

100 MVR = 5.79 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MVR, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.28 MVR (100 MVR = 5.79 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sao Paulo Gan 13,150 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Paulo
Gan

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 Gan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sao Paulo is pricier by about 2682%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,866 per month in Sao Paulo and $67.1 in Gan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gan, where all-in costs run around $44.72, than in Sao Paulo at $1,244. In Gan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Paulo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Gan. 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.