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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,048 in Sao Paulo versus $744 in Goiana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,666 in Sao Paulo versus $1,208 in Goiana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,284 in Sao Paulo versus $1,672 in Goiana.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 41% more expensive than Goiana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 22% lower, Goiana 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 R$36.44

$5.74 R$28.64

27.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.41 R$202

$36.75 R$183

9.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 R$35.44

$6.22 R$31.06

14.15%

Cappuccino

$2.01 R$10.03

$1.82 R$9.08

10.44%

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

$1.20 R$5.97

$1.21 R$6.05

-0.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R$4.41

$0.61 R$3.04

44.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 R$11.08

$1.58 R$7.88

40.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$14.72

$2.18 R$10.86

35.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.25

$1.11 R$5.52

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 R$8.89

$1.25 R$6.24

42.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.72

$1.04 R$5.21

29.81%

Eggs

$2.36 R$11.77

$1.92 R$9.59

22.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.93 R$54.5

$6.50 R$32.45

68.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 R$21.02

$3.67 R$18.29

14.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 R$45.12

$6.20 R$30.95

45.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 R$14.33

$2.15 R$10.75

33.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.58

$0.86 R$4.31

123.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.11

$0.88 R$4.38

84.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 R$9.23

$1.12 R$5.61

65.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 R$6.93

$0.99 R$4.96

40.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.23

$1.00 R$5.00

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 R$5.08

$0.52 R$2.61

96.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 R$3.48

$0.51 R$2.57

37.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.43

$1.66 R$8.27

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 R$49.13

$7.95 R$39.65

23.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.47

$1.24 R$6.19

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 R$11.57

$2.58 R$12.86

-10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.63

$0.93 R$4.65

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.21 R$226

$38.85 R$194

16.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 R$5.25

$0.88 R$4.39

19.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.81

$0.67 R$3.34

13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.93 R$44.58

$10.66 R$53.2

-16.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.49

$0.98 R$4.88

12.24%

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

$21.8K R$108.8K

$21.4K R$106.7K

1.99%

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

$27.9K R$139.3K

$31.2K R$155.9K

-10.65%

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

$53.7 R$268

$43.26 R$216

24.06%

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

$13.21 R$65.9

$12.59 R$62.8

4.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.40 R$102

$18.96 R$94.6

7.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.67 R$148

$22.48 R$112

31.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.25 R$176

$21.50 R$107

63.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.33 R$41.54

$6.95 R$34.66

19.86%

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

$494 R$2,463

$119 R$592

316.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K R$77.8K

$4,309 R$21.5K

261.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 R$257

$60.8 R$304

-15.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.21 R$211

$42.87 R$214

-1.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.5 R$387

$56.6 R$282

36.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 R$364

$71.0 R$354

2.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 R$3,328

$320 R$1,596

108.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 R$2,060

$219 R$1,091

88.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 R$6,440

$584 R$2,914

121.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 R$3,800

$430 R$2,146

77.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,984 R$14.9K

$1,614 R$8,053

84.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 R$10.9K

$1,185 R$5,913

85.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$858 R$4,279

$610 R$3,043

40.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

-3.67%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: April 28, 2026

Last update for Goiana: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $667 in Sao Paulo and $320 in Goiana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 41% 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: $40.00 in Sao Paulo vs $37.00 in Goiana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $157 per month, with Goiana 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 Goiana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Paulo and Goiana differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,048 vs $744 including rent). Goiana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sao Paulo pays 41% more on average, 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: $667 in Sao Paulo versus $320 in Goiana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Goiana – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $40.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,048 per month in Sao Paulo versus $744 in Goiana – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $744 in Goiana versus $1,048 in Sao Paulo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Goiana but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Goiana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Goiana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.