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: $1,186 in Sao Paulo versus $886 in Manaus.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Sao Paulo versus $1,399 in Manaus.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Sao Paulo versus $1,913 in Manaus.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 34% more expensive than in Manaus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 13% lower, Manaus 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.62 R$44.18

$5.70 R$29.23

51.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.80 R$245

$27.35 R$140

74.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 R$43.59

$6.69 R$34.27

27.20%

Cappuccino

$2.50 R$12.80

$2.28 R$11.67

9.65%

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

$1.37 R$7.04

$1.05 R$5.41

30.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.78 R$4.02

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R$14.57

$2.68 R$13.71

5.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 R$22.37

$5.28 R$27.07

-17.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R$6.15

$1.38 R$7.08

-13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 R$9.30

$1.55 R$7.93

16.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.11

$1.26 R$6.45

10.32%

Eggs

$2.70 R$13.84

$2.59 R$13.25

4.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 R$59.5

$9.71 R$49.77

19.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 R$26.87

$3.81 R$19.54

37.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 R$54.4

$7.03 R$36.04

50.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$13.91

$2.33 R$11.93

16.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 R$8.76

$1.63 R$8.36

4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 R$8.01

$1.42 R$7.27

9.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.37

$1.97 R$10.08

-7.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.98

$1.21 R$6.20

12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.31

$1.20 R$6.15

2.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 R$6.04

$0.74 R$3.78

59.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.29

$0.63 R$3.23

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 R$15.16

$3.61 R$18.51

-18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 R$50.2

$8.78 R$44.98

11.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 R$8.55

$1.41 R$7.23

18.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.68

$1.63 R$8.35

63.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.87 R$4.47

14.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.38 R$243

$38.18 R$196

24.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 R$8.85

$0.95 R$4.86

82.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 R$5.04

$0.84 R$4.32

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 R$50.2

$9.58 R$49.11

2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.48

$1.32 R$6.77

-4.55%

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

$23.0K R$117.8K

$23.2K R$118.8K

-0.85%

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

$33.5K R$171.7K

$32.0K R$163.9K

4.73%

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

$96.7 R$495

$115 R$588

-15.77%

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

$15.73 R$80.6

$15.37 R$78.8

2.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.43 R$110

$24.52 R$126

-12.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.21 R$170

$25.29 R$130

31.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.18 R$226

$24.22 R$124

82.41%

Cinema Ticket

$9.45 R$48.43

$6.20 R$31.80

52.42%

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

$507 R$2,598

$219 R$1,121

131.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$79.6K

$5,047 R$25.9K

207.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 R$328

$49.48 R$254

29.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 R$311

$31.09 R$159

95.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 R$499

$58.4 R$299

66.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 R$444

$69.0 R$354

25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 R$3,356

$620 R$3,179

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,096

$210 R$1,075

94.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 R$6,999

$924 R$4,736

47.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 R$4,791

$477 R$2,446

95.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,792 R$14.3K

$1,700 R$8,709

64.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,002 R$10.3K

$1,293 R$6,626

54.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,337

$517 R$2,649

63.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

10.33

16.55%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Manaus: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $655 in Sao Paulo and $620 in Manaus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 64% 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: $48.00 in Sao Paulo vs $27.00 in Manaus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $195 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 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Sao Paulo, 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: $655 in Sao Paulo versus $620 in Manaus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $27.00 versus $48.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $886 in Manaus versus $1,186 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 34% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.