Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $133 a month against $1,235 in Sao Paulo, rent and utilities included – about $13,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index

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Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,235

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Paulo and in Maharagama

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 Maharagama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Sao Paulo vs $133 in Maharagama, rent included.

Sao Paulo $1,235
Maharagama $133

A couple spends around $2,073 per month in Sao Paulo vs $250 in Maharagama, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,073
Maharagama $250

A family of three spends $2,911 per month in Sao Paulo vs $367 in Maharagama, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,911
Maharagama $367

Sao Paulo costs about 827% more than Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sao Paulo and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Sao Paulo 9% lower, Maharagama 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 R$44.68

$5.39 LKR 1,785

63.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 R$250

$20.20 LKR 6,690

144.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 R$44.63

$6.82 LKR 2,260

29.03%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R$12.63

$2.12 LKR 701

17.45%

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

$1.42 R$7.19

$0.59 LKR 196

140.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.31

$0.29 LKR 94.8

193.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 R$15.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 R$22.02

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 R$6.28

$0.93 LKR 307

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 R$9.66

$0.25 LKR 83.2

664.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.25

$0.49 LKR 162

191.84%

Eggs

$2.81 R$14.23

$1.49 LKR 494

88.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.74 R$64.6

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 R$27.44

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 R$54.0

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 R$13.95

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.19

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.27

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 R$10.16

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 R$6.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 R$15.15

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 R$50.5

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 R$9.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 R$12.90

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 R$5.50

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.78 R$247

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 R$9.39

$0.44 LKR 146

320.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 R$4.99

$0.47 LKR 155

110.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.29 R$52.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 R$6.78

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

$24.4K R$123.8K

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

$33.9K R$172.1K

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

$104 R$529

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

$16.71 R$84.7

$4.63 LKR 1,534

260.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.18 R$112

$13.62 LKR 4,510

62.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.82 R$182

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.28 R$240

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 R$51.0

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

$579 R$2,936

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K R$86.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 R$333

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 R$309

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 R$509

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 R$467

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 R$3,341

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 R$2,170

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,515 R$7,678

$197 LKR 65.3K

667.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 R$5,201

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,773 R$14.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 R$10.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$909 R$4,609

$244 LKR 80.7K

273.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 13, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sao Paulo

$428 34.7%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Sao Paulo

$244 19.8%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Sao Paulo

$159 12.9%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Paulo

$144 11.6%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Paulo

$143 11.6%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Sao Paulo

$60 4.9%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Paulo

$56 4.5%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 273% 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 $49.00 in Sao Paulo versus $20.00 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $20.00 – making Maharagama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

04:29 4:29 AM

12:59 12:59 PM

8 h 30 min ahead of Sao Paulo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,451,999

196,400

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, 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).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

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Sao Paulo Maharagama 14,030 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

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Sao Paulo
Maharagama

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sao Paulo is pricier by about 827%, 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 $200 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1140% more in Sao Paulo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Sao Paulo and $20.00 in Maharagama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $133, than in Sao Paulo at $1,235. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Paulo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maharagama – 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 Maharagama. 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.