Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Itajubá, MG Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Itajubá, MG

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,188 in Sao Paulo versus $814 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,960 in Sao Paulo versus $1,170 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,732 in Sao Paulo versus $1,526 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 46% more expensive than in Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 14% lower, Itajubá, MG 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 R$44.30

$4.44 R$22.89

93.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.05 R$253

$23.20 R$120

111.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 R$43.50

$4.39 R$22.62

92.26%

Cappuccino

$2.47 R$12.72

$1.20 R$6.17

105.83%

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

$1.34 R$6.91

$1.06 R$5.47

26.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.41

$0.68 R$3.52

26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 R$14.84

$1.69 R$8.70

70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 R$22.12

$2.91 R$15.00

47.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.82

$0.92 R$4.73

22.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 R$9.23

$1.62 R$8.36

10.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 R$7.06

$0.99 R$5.09

38.38%

Eggs

$2.78 R$14.35

$2.25 R$11.57

23.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.64 R$60.0

$10.57 R$54.5

10.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 R$25.42

$3.40 R$17.50

45.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 R$53.3

$7.33 R$37.75

41.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 R$14.01

$2.73 R$14.07

-0.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.26

$1.51 R$7.80

19.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.95

$0.94 R$4.86

63.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.31

$1.74 R$8.99

4.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.15

$1.05 R$5.40

32.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.41

$1.03 R$5.29

20.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 R$6.07

$0.66 R$3.38

78.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.62 R$3.19

37.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.10

$2.84 R$14.65

3.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 R$49.36

$7.64 R$39.39

25.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 R$8.34

$1.11 R$5.73

45.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.53

$1.53 R$7.88

71.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 R$5.40

$0.92 R$4.73

14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.17 R$243

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R$8.73

$1.23 R$6.34

37.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.82 R$4.23

12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 R$51.3

$8.73 R$45.00

14.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.47

$1.12 R$5.79

12.50%

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

$23.1K R$118.9K

$22.4K R$115.3K

3.14%

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

$32.2K R$165.9K

$31.7K R$163.5K

1.49%

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

$103 R$529

$129 R$663

-20.21%

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

$15.65 R$80.6

$10.95 R$56.4

42.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.86 R$113

$17.85 R$92.0

22.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 R$181

$15.18 R$78.2

131.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.92 R$231

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 R$49.59

$7.58 R$39.05

26.91%

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

$492 R$2,535

$540 R$2,780

-8.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K R$81.5K

$12.6K R$65.0K

25.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 R$312

$40.80 R$210

48.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 R$308

$47.72 R$246

25.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 R$474

$68.5 R$353

34.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 R$433

$63.6 R$328

32.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 R$3,306

$337 R$1,737

90.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 R$2,082

$230 R$1,183

75.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 R$7,525

$500 R$2,576

192.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 R$4,919

$351 R$1,810

171.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 R$13.9K

$882 R$4,545

206.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,014 R$10.4K

$674 R$3,473

198.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$889 R$4,582

$284 R$1,464

213.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

11.93

0.92%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Sao Paulo and $337 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 213% 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 $23.00 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $183 per month, with Itajubá, MG 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 Itajubá, MG: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Paulo and Itajubá, MG differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,188 vs $814 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 213% higher in Sao Paulo, 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: $642 in Sao Paulo versus $337 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $492 in Sao Paulo versus $540 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Itajubá, MG – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $49.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $814 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,188 in Sao Paulo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Itajubá, MG but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Itajubá, MG 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.

Safety-wise, Sao Paulo and Itajubá, MG 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 Itajubá, MG gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.