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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,056 in Sao Paulo versus $848 in Manaus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Sao Paulo versus $1,315 in Manaus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,307 in Sao Paulo versus $1,782 in Manaus.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 25% more expensive than Manaus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Manaus 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R$37.23

$5.54 R$28.04

32.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.91 R$197

$24.86 R$126

56.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R$36.80

$6.22 R$31.46

16.88%

Cappuccino

$2.10 R$10.64

$2.07 R$10.49

1.45%

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

$1.21 R$6.11

$0.98 R$4.96

23.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.18

$0.72 R$3.64

15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R$11.04

$2.49 R$12.62

-12.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$14.94

$4.92 R$24.90

-40.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.36

$1.28 R$6.46

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$8.91

$1.43 R$7.24

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.67

$1.12 R$5.65

17.86%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.36

$2.06 R$10.44

18.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 R$57.1

$9.55 R$48.34

18.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 R$22.22

$3.60 R$18.21

21.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 R$46.41

$6.63 R$33.54

38.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$13.70

$2.14 R$10.82

26.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.71

$1.59 R$8.04

20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.53

$1.29 R$6.54

30.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R$8.98

$1.87 R$9.45

-4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.28

$1.12 R$5.67

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.10 R$5.59

19.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.11

$0.69 R$3.50

46.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.75

$0.62 R$3.12

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.59

$3.50 R$17.73

-28.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 R$51.7

$8.77 R$44.39

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.37 R$6.94

-4.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.14

$2.12 R$10.75

13.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.36

$0.83 R$4.20

3.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.69 R$231

$36.30 R$184

25.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.37

$0.92 R$4.65

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.83

$0.70 R$3.55

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 R$46.69

$8.73 R$44.16

5.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.57

$1.20 R$6.06

-8.33%

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

$21.9K R$110.8K

$19.9K R$100.9K

9.90%

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

$28.0K R$141.5K

$22.6K R$114.6K

23.51%

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

$54.6 R$276

$106 R$536

-48.47%

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

$13.23 R$66.9

$14.29 R$72.3

-7.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 R$102

$23.49 R$119

-13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 R$150

$22.68 R$115

30.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.42 R$179

$22.69 R$115

56.10%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 R$40.58

$5.81 R$29.42

38.04%

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

$504 R$2,549

$205 R$1,039

145.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$76.8K

$4,610 R$23.3K

229.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R$259

$46.00 R$233

11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 R$216

$29.63 R$150

43.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 R$397

$55.2 R$279

42.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R$370

$64.2 R$325

13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 R$3,322

$390 R$1,973

68.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 R$2,078

$236 R$1,192

74.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,395

$664 R$3,359

90.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 R$3,837

$493 R$2,494

53.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 R$14.1K

$1,763 R$8,918

58.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 R$10.3K

$1,348 R$6,820

51.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$855 R$4,325

$517 R$2,617

65.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

9.83

17.60%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manaus: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Sao Paulo and $390 in Manaus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 65% 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 $25.00 in Manaus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $185 per month, with Manaus 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 Manaus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sao Paulo pays 65% 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 $390 in Manaus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Sao Paulo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $39.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $848 in Manaus versus $1,056 in Sao Paulo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manaus but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Manaus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Manaus is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sao Paulo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Manaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.