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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Sao Paulo vs $728 in Itu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,001 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,343 in Itu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,798 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,958 in Itu, rent included.

Sao Paulo costs about 65% more than Itu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sao Paulo and Itu are more affordable than the global median – Sao Paulo 13% lower, Itu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.04 R$46.33

$5.34 R$27.38

69.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.25 R$247

$38.20 R$196

26.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 R$45.42

$6.30 R$32.28

40.63%

Cappuccino

$2.56 R$13.13

$1.88 R$9.63

36.17%

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

$1.36 R$6.99

$0.74 R$3.80

83.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.41

$0.50 R$2.54

72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 R$15.32

$2.45 R$12.55

22.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 R$22.48

$4.78 R$24.52

-8.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.89

$1.04 R$5.31

10.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 R$9.40

$1.43 R$7.33

27.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.94

$1.14 R$5.86

18.42%

Eggs

$2.78 R$14.23

$2.59 R$13.29

7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 R$61.6

$8.70 R$44.61

38.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 R$26.05

$3.77 R$19.30

34.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 R$54.7

$5.68 R$29.12

87.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 R$13.56

$1.70 R$8.72

55.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.86

$1.37 R$7.02

26.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.11

$0.75 R$3.85

110.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.17

$1.73 R$8.86

3.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.76

$0.93 R$4.75

41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.31

$1.32 R$6.79

-6.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 R$6.03

$0.76 R$3.89

55.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 R$4.69

$0.49 R$2.53

87.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 R$15.41

$2.67 R$13.67

12.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 R$50.9

$5.64 R$28.90

76.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 R$8.63

$1.65 R$8.48

1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 R$13.86

$2.85 R$14.59

-5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.18

$0.93 R$4.75

8.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.53 R$239

$42.88 R$220

8.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 R$8.84

$0.97 R$4.98

77.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R$5.18

$1.00 R$5.14

1.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.24 R$52.5

$9.37 R$48.04

9.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R$6.23

$0.95 R$4.86

28.42%

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

$23.3K R$119.3K

$23.4K R$119.7K

-0.36%

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

$33.4K R$171.4K

$26.9K R$137.9K

24.34%

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

$98.9 R$507

$43.80 R$225

125.80%

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

$15.59 R$79.9

$11.75 R$60.2

32.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.77 R$112

$16.37 R$83.9

32.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.34 R$176

$25.27 R$130

35.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.18 R$226

$26.18 R$134

68.75%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 R$51.3

$4.76 R$24.42

110.08%

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

$510 R$2,616

$418 R$2,142

22.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K R$81.1K

$7,279 R$37.3K

117.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 R$335

$47.33 R$243

37.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 R$319

$38.73 R$199

60.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 R$494

$68.4 R$351

40.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 R$443

$47.74 R$245

80.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$668 R$3,425

$307 R$1,574

117.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,098

$193 R$989

112.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 R$7,461

$765 R$3,922

90.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$931 R$4,774

$633 R$3,246

47.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,879 R$14.8K

$1,600 R$8,201

79.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,031 R$10.4K

$1,106 R$5,671

83.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 R$4,520

$285 R$1,460

209.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

11.12

8.27%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: September 6, 2026

Last update for Itu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $668 in Sao Paulo versus $307 in Itu. 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 210% higher in Sao Paulo, 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 $48.00 in Sao Paulo versus $38.00 in Itu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $170 – making Itu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Itu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,204 in Sao Paulo, $728 in Itu – roughly 65% apart. Sao Paulo costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,805 per month in Sao Paulo and $1,092 in Itu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Itu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Sao Paulo and $38.00 in Itu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Sao Paulo and $728 in Itu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itu, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Sao Paulo at $1,204. In Itu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Paulo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Sao Paulo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $728 in Itu to $1,204 in Sao Paulo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Itu. 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.