Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Johnson City, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Paulo: $1,235 a month against $2,099 in Johnson City, TN, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index
102

Cost of Living Index in Johnson City, TN
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Johnson City, TN Living Index

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Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,235

/mo nomad

Johnson City, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,099

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Paulo and in Johnson City, TN

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 Johnson City, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Sao Paulo vs $2,099 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

Sao Paulo $1,235
Johnson City, TN $2,099

A couple spends around $2,073 per month in Sao Paulo vs $3,126 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,073
Johnson City, TN $3,126

A family of three spends $2,911 per month in Sao Paulo vs $4,153 in Johnson City, TN, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,911
Johnson City, TN $4,153

Sao Paulo is about 41% cheaper than Johnson City, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Sao Paulo sits 9% below the global median, while Johnson City, TN is 55% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 R$44.68

$14.27 $14.27

-38.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 R$250

$54.1 $54.1

-8.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 R$44.63

$9.89 $9.89

-11.02%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R$12.63

$5.32 $5.32

-53.20%

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

$1.42 R$7.19

$2.94 $2.94

-51.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.31

$1.95 $1.95

-56.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 R$15.11

$4.90 $4.90

-39.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 R$22.02

$5.86 $5.86

-25.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 R$6.28

$1.01 $1.01

22.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 R$9.66

$3.92 $3.92

-51.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.25

$3.87 $3.87

-63.05%

Eggs

$2.81 R$14.23

$3.20 $3.20

-12.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 R$64.6

$7.31 $7.31

74.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 R$27.44

$13.57 $13.57

-60.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 R$54.0

$12.99 $12.99

-18.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 R$13.95

$7.75 $7.75

-64.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.19

$1.79 $1.79

1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.27

$3.94 $3.94

-58.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 R$10.16

$3.61 $3.61

-44.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$3.50 $3.50

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.43

$4.20 $4.20

-69.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R$6.47

$2.24 $2.24

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.83

$2.31 $2.31

-58.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R$15.15

$8.06 $8.06

-62.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 R$50.5

$13.10 $13.10

-23.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 R$9.37

$1.70 $1.70

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 R$12.90

$4.42 $4.42

-42.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 R$5.50

$2.46 $2.46

-55.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.78 R$247

$37.08 $37.08

31.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 R$9.39

$5.37 $5.37

-65.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 R$4.99

$1.48 $1.48

-33.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 R$52.2

$15.07 $15.07

-31.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 R$6.78

$0.88 $0.88

52.27%

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

$24.4K R$123.8K

$32.1K $32.1K

-23.92%

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

$33.9K R$172.1K

$21.7K $21.7K

56.66%

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

$104 R$529

$176 $176

-40.70%

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

$16.71 R$84.7

$52.0 $52.0

-67.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.18 R$112

$63.3 $63.3

-64.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.82 R$182

$47.50 $47.50

-24.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.28 R$240

$19.61 $19.61

141.10%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 R$51.0

$11.77 $11.77

-14.53%

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

$579 R$2,936

$1,224 $1,224

-52.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K R$86.6K

$14.6K $14.6K

17.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 R$333

$36.93 $36.93

77.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 R$309

$30.74 $30.74

98.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 R$509

$86.9 $86.9

15.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 R$467

$95.3 $95.3

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 R$3,341

$1,085 $1,085

-39.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 R$2,170

$912 $912

-53.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,515 R$7,678

$2,031 $2,031

-25.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 R$5,201

$1,583 $1,583

-35.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,773 R$14.1K

$2,201 $2,201

25.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 R$10.2K

$2,159 $2,159

-7.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$909 R$4,609

$3,505 $3,505

-74.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

6.49

79.97%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 13, 2026

Last update for Johnson City, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sao Paulo

$428 34.7%

Johnson City, TN

$912 43.5% 113% $484

Groceries & Markets

Sao Paulo

$244 19.8%

Johnson City, TN

$389 18.5% 59.2% $145

Eating Out

Sao Paulo

$159 12.9%

Johnson City, TN

$263 12.6% 65.2% $104

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Paulo

$144 11.6%

Johnson City, TN

$112 5.4% 21.7% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Paulo

$143 11.6%

Johnson City, TN

$291 13.9% 103% $148

Getting Around

Sao Paulo

$60 4.9%

Johnson City, TN

$60 2.8% 0.3% $0.2

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Paulo

$56 4.5%

Johnson City, TN

$71 3.4% 27% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $659 in Sao Paulo versus $1,085 in Johnson City, TN. 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 286% higher in Johnson City, TN, 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 $54.0 in Johnson City, TN. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $389 – making Sao Paulo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🇺🇸 Johnson City, TN

🕒 Local time

05:28 5:28 AM

04:28 4:28 AM

1 h behind Sao Paulo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,451,999

66,027

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sao Paulo Johnson City, TN 7,640 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Paulo
Johnson City, TN

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 Johnson City, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johnson City, TN is pricier by about 70%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,852 per month in Sao Paulo and $3,148 in Johnson City, TN. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Sao Paulo and $54.0 in Johnson City, TN. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,235 in Sao Paulo and $2,099 in Johnson City, TN. That's a gap of about 70%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sao Paulo, where all-in costs run around $1,235, than in Johnson City, TN at $2,099. In Sao Paulo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johnson City, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sao Paulo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johnson City, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.