Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Juiz de Fora Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Juiz de Fora

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,056 in Sao Paulo versus $574 in Juiz de Fora.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Sao Paulo versus $935 in Juiz de Fora.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,307 in Sao Paulo versus $1,295 in Juiz de Fora.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 84% more expensive than Juiz de Fora, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Juiz de Fora 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R$38.21

$3.55 R$18.45

107.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.91 R$202

$17.91 R$93.0

117.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R$37.76

$4.47 R$23.19

62.64%

Cappuccino

$2.10 R$10.92

$1.55 R$8.07

35.48%

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

$1.21 R$6.27

$1.00 R$5.20

21.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.29

$0.65 R$3.39

27.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R$11.33

$0.92 R$4.77

136.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$15.33

$1.78 R$9.23

65.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.50

$0.80 R$4.13

32.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$9.14

$1.41 R$7.32

24.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.85

$1.59 R$8.28

-16.98%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.68

$1.69 R$8.75

44.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 R$58.6

$7.21 R$37.45

56.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 R$22.81

$3.00 R$15.60

46.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 R$47.63

$7.13 R$37.02

28.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$14.05

$1.85 R$9.59

46.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.96

$1.14 R$5.91

68.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.75

$1.05 R$5.47

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.22

$1.31 R$6.82

35.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.47

$1.01 R$5.27

42.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.78

$0.61 R$3.15

114.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.25

$0.46 R$2.39

119.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.85

$0.65 R$3.36

13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.92

$1.10 R$5.71

126.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 R$53.0

$5.89 R$30.58

73.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.79

$0.84 R$4.34

55.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.45

$1.04 R$5.40

130.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.48

$0.66 R$3.42

30.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.69 R$237

$30.15 R$157

51.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.52

$0.91 R$4.71

16.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.93

$0.67 R$3.48

13.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 R$47.91

$5.56 R$28.87

66.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.72

$1.04 R$5.40

5.77%

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

$21.9K R$113.7K

$17.8K R$92.4K

23.08%

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

$28.0K R$145.2K

$27.1K R$140.7K

3.19%

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

$54.6 R$283

$56.7 R$294

-3.64%

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

$13.23 R$68.7

$6.77 R$35.17

95.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 R$105

$16.21 R$84.2

24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 R$154

$17.57 R$91.2

68.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.42 R$184

$25.10 R$130

41.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 R$41.65

$4.43 R$23.01

81.04%

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

$504 R$2,616

$68.0 R$353

640.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$78.8K

$2,354 R$12.2K

544.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R$266

$34.81 R$181

47.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 R$221

$37.33 R$194

14.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 R$408

$54.7 R$284

43.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R$380

$30.74 R$160

138.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 R$3,410

$196 R$1,015

235.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 R$2,133

$131 R$679

214.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,562

$472 R$2,448

168.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 R$3,937

$326 R$1,692

132.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 R$14.5K

$973 R$5,050

186.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 R$10.6K

$604 R$3,137

236.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$855 R$4,438

$465 R$2,413

83.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

10.83

6.74%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Juiz de Fora: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Sao Paulo and $196 in Juiz de Fora. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 84% 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 $18.00 in Juiz de Fora for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $152 per month, with Juiz de Fora 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 Juiz de Fora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Juiz de Fora wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Sao Paulo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Juiz de Fora the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Sao Paulo pays 84% 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 $196 in Juiz de Fora. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Juiz de Fora – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $39.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,056 per month in Sao Paulo versus $574 in Juiz de Fora – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $574 in Juiz de Fora versus $1,056 in Sao Paulo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Juiz de Fora but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Juiz de Fora the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Juiz de Fora delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $574 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Juiz de Fora hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Juiz de Fora gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.