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: $1,056 in Sao Paulo versus $750 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Sao Paulo versus $1,087 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,307 in Sao Paulo versus $1,425 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 41% more expensive than Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Itajubá, MG 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R$36.83

$3.52 R$17.59

109.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.91 R$195

$14.59 R$73.0

166.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R$36.40

$5.01 R$25.09

45.11%

Cappuccino

$2.10 R$10.53

$0.71 R$3.56

195.77%

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

$1.21 R$6.05

$0.75 R$3.73

61.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.14

$0.38 R$1.90

118.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R$10.92

$1.77 R$8.86

23.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$14.78

$2.64 R$13.20

11.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.30

$0.85 R$4.25

24.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$8.81

$1.49 R$7.46

18.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.60

$0.89 R$4.43

48.31%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.22

$2.03 R$10.17

20.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 R$56.4

$7.80 R$39.02

44.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 R$21.98

$3.07 R$15.37

43.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 R$45.91

$5.73 R$28.66

60.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$13.55

$2.42 R$12.12

11.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.60

$1.62 R$8.08

18.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.43

$1.46 R$7.31

15.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R$8.88

$1.54 R$7.72

15.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.20

$0.55 R$2.77

161.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.54

$1.03 R$5.14

27.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.06

$0.28 R$1.41

260.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.71

$0.56 R$2.82

32.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.46

$2.02 R$10.13

23.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 R$51.1

$9.11 R$45.58

12.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.54

$1.22 R$6.13

7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.00

$1.41 R$7.06

70.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.32

$0.93 R$4.63

-7.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.69 R$229

$38.76 R$194

17.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.32

$1.07 R$5.34

-0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.79

$0.69 R$3.47

10.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 R$46.18

$7.57 R$37.88

21.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.51

$1.05 R$5.24

4.76%

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

$21.9K R$109.6K

$15.2K R$76.2K

43.92%

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

$28.0K R$140.0K

$27.8K R$138.9K

0.76%

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

$54.6 R$273

$105 R$523

-47.76%

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

$13.23 R$66.2

$12.03 R$60.2

9.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 R$101

$16.04 R$80.3

26.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 R$149

$13.83 R$69.2

114.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.42 R$177

$21.82 R$109

62.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 R$40.14

$6.57 R$32.88

22.07%

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

$504 R$2,522

$539 R$2,696

-6.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$75.9K

$11.7K R$58.7K

29.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R$256

$44.46 R$222

15.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 R$213

$42.31 R$212

0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 R$393

$75.0 R$375

4.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R$366

$61.6 R$308

18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 R$3,286

$294 R$1,471

123.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 R$2,056

$216 R$1,081

90.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,325

$475 R$2,376

166.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 R$3,795

$319 R$1,595

137.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 R$14.0K

$934 R$4,673

198.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 R$10.2K

$693 R$3,470

193.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$855 R$4,278

$300 R$1,499

185.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

11.33

2.03%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Sao Paulo and $294 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 185% 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: $39.00 in Sao Paulo vs $15.00 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $165 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,056 vs $750 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sao Paulo pays 185% 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: $657 in Sao Paulo versus $294 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $504 in Sao Paulo versus $539 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Sao Paulo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $750 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,056 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 41% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.