Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Idaho Falls, ID

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Paulo: $1,235 a month against $2,339 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Sao Paulo
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,235
/mo nomad
Idaho Falls, ID
🇺🇸 United States
$2,339
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Paulo and in Idaho Falls, ID

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 Idaho Falls, ID actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Sao Paulo vs $2,339 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

  • Sao Paulo $1,235
  • Idaho Falls, ID $2,339

A couple spends around $2,073 per month in Sao Paulo vs $3,358 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

  • Sao Paulo $2,073
  • Idaho Falls, ID $3,358

A family of three spends $2,911 per month in Sao Paulo vs $4,376 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent included.

  • Sao Paulo $2,911
  • Idaho Falls, ID $4,376

Sao Paulo is about 47% cheaper than Idaho Falls, ID, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Sao Paulo sits 9% below the global median, while Idaho Falls, ID is 73% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.81 R$44.68
$17.68 $17.68
-50.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.37 R$250
$51.9 $51.9
-4.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.80 R$44.63
$10.12 $10.12
-13.04%
Cappuccino
$2.49 R$12.63
$4.97 $4.97
-49.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 R$7.19
$2.20 $2.20
-35.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85 R$4.31
$1.54 $1.54
-44.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.98 R$15.11
$3.92 $3.92
-23.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.34 R$22.02
$6.93 $6.93
-37.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 R$6.28
$0.71 $0.71
74.65%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 R$9.66
$3.78 $3.78
-49.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.43 R$7.25
$2.95 $2.95
-51.53%
Eggs
$2.81 R$14.23
$4.20 $4.20
-33.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.74 R$64.6
$12.01 $12.01
6.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.41 R$27.44
$6.78 $6.78
-20.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.64 R$54.0
$9.69 $9.69
9.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.75 R$13.95
$2.20 $2.20
25.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 R$9.19
$1.24 $1.24
45.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.63 R$8.27
$2.12 $2.12
-23.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 R$10.16
$2.04 $2.04
-1.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.40 R$7.10
$1.62 $1.62
-13.58%
Onion (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.43
$2.53 $2.53
-49.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.28 R$6.47
$1.83 $1.83
-30.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 R$4.83
$1.94 $1.94
-51.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.99 R$15.15
$10.02 $10.02
-70.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.96 R$50.5
$7.61 $7.61
30.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 R$9.37
$1.74 $1.74
6.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 R$12.90
$1.46 $1.46
73.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 R$5.50
$3.07 $3.07
-64.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$48.78 R$247
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.85 R$9.39
$2.49 $2.49
-25.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 R$4.99
$2.31 $2.31
-57.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.29 R$52.2
$25.08 $25.08
-58.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 R$6.78
$1.10 $1.10
21.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K R$123.8K
$36.2K $36.2K
-32.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K R$172.1K
$25.7K $25.7K
32.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 R$529
$166 $166
-37.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.71 R$84.7
$49.89 $49.89
-66.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.18 R$112
$65.0 $65.0
-65.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.82 R$182
$38.32 $38.32
-6.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.28 R$240
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.06 R$51.0
$11.27 $11.27
-10.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$579 R$2,936
$969 $969
-40.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.1K R$86.6K
$20.9K $20.9K
-18.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.7 R$333
$42.50 $42.50
54.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.0 R$309
$45.50 $45.50
34.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 R$509
$69.1 $69.1
45.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1 R$467
$96.0 $96.0
-4.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$659 R$3,341
$1,341 $1,341
-50.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$428 R$2,170
$1,300 $1,300
-67.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,515 R$7,678
$2,028 $2,028
-25.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,026 R$5,201
$2,150 $2,150
-52.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,773 R$14.1K
$1,826 $1,826
51.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,007 R$10.2K
$1,895 $1,895
5.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Paulo
Idaho Falls, ID
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$909 R$4,609
$3,390 $3,390
-73.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.68
6.12
90.85%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 13, 2026

Last update for Idaho Falls, ID: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sao Paulo
$428
Idaho Falls, ID
$1.3K 204% $872
Groceries & Markets
Sao Paulo
$244
Idaho Falls, ID
$277 13.4% $33
Eating Out
Sao Paulo
$159
Idaho Falls, ID
$280 75.5% $120
Clothing & Footwear
Sao Paulo
$144
Idaho Falls, ID
$114 20.7% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Paulo
$143
Idaho Falls, ID
$281 96.3% $138
Getting Around
Sao Paulo
$60
Idaho Falls, ID
$26 * 56% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Sao Paulo
$56
Idaho Falls, ID
$61 8.8% $4.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $659 in Sao Paulo versus $1,341 in Idaho Falls, ID. 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 273% higher in Idaho Falls, ID, 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 $52.0 in Idaho Falls, ID. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $277 – making Sao Paulo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Sao Paulo
🇺🇸 Idaho Falls, ID
🕒 Local time
13:42 1:42 PM
10:42 10:42 AM
3 h behind Sao Paulo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,451,999
61,459
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sao Paulo Idaho Falls, ID 10,000 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sao Paulo
  • Idaho Falls, ID

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 Idaho Falls, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Idaho Falls, ID cheaper than Sao Paulo?
Yes – Idaho Falls, ID is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,852 per month in Sao Paulo and $3,509 in Idaho Falls, ID. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Paulo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Sao Paulo and in Idaho Falls, ID?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,235 in Sao Paulo and $2,339 in Idaho Falls, ID. That's a gap of about 89%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $579 per month in Sao Paulo and $969 in Idaho Falls, ID. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sao Paulo or in Idaho Falls, ID?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sao Paulo, where all-in costs run around $1,235, than in Idaho Falls, ID at $2,339. In Sao Paulo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Idaho Falls, ID it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Sao Paulo or Idaho Falls, ID more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sao Paulo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sao Paulo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Idaho Falls, ID makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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