Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Mashhad

For one person, living is cheaper in Mashhad: $485 a month against $1,244 in Sao Paulo, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Sao Paulo
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Sao Paulo Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Mashhad
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Mashhad Living Index

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Sao Paulo

🇧🇷 Brazil

$1,244

/mo nomad

Mashhad

🇮🇷 Iran

$485

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,244 per month in Sao Paulo vs $485 in Mashhad, rent included.

Sao Paulo $1,244
Mashhad $485

A couple spends around $2,085 per month in Sao Paulo vs $770 in Mashhad, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,085
Mashhad $770

A family of three spends $2,926 per month in Sao Paulo vs $1,055 in Mashhad, rent included.

Sao Paulo $2,926
Mashhad $1,055

Sao Paulo costs about 157% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sao Paulo and Mashhad are more affordable than the global median – Sao Paulo 7% lower, Mashhad 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.94 R$44.64

$3.03 $3.03

195.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.46 R$247

$18.20 $18.20

171.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 R$46.01

$4.89 $4.89

88.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

Cappuccino

$2.54 R$12.70

$1.09 $1.09

133.03%

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

$1.45 R$7.25

$0.43 $0.43

237.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.55

$0.26 $0.26

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 R$15.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 R$21.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.32

$0.62 $0.62

104.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.17

$0.19 $0.19

868.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.05

$2.03 $2.03

-30.54%

Eggs

$2.84 R$14.20

$1.10 $1.10

158.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.56 R$62.7

$2.16 $2.16

481.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 R$26.81

$2.77 $2.77

93.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 R$53.5

$10.45 $10.45

2.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 R$13.67

$0.96 $0.96

185.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.03

$1.51 $1.51

19.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.74

$0.78 $0.78

98.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 R$9.90

$0.57 $0.57

247.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.34

$0.53 $0.53

177.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.20

$0.47 $0.47

163.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 R$6.35

$0.48 $0.48

164.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R$4.79

$0.29 $0.29

231.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.88 $0.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 $0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 R$15.16

$3.03 $3.03

0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 R$50.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 R$8.64

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 R$13.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.18

$0.02 $0.02

5100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.10 R$240

$3.72 $3.72

1193.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 R$9.07

$0.19 $0.19

857.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 R$5.07

$0.49 $0.49

108.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 R$50.7

$1.96 $1.96

418.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.35

$0.82 $0.82

54.88%

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

$24.3K R$121.4K

$60.2K $60.2K

-59.61%

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

$34.0K R$169.8K

$66.2K $66.2K

-48.60%

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

$104 R$519

$13.58 $13.58

665.39%

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

$16.16 R$80.7

$2.67 $2.67

505.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.59 R$113

$27.42 $27.42

-17.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.27 R$181

$19.38 $19.38

87.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.78 R$239

$14.98 $14.98

218.96%

Cinema Ticket

$9.85 R$49.19

$2.03 $2.03

385.22%

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

$525 R$2,622

$40.02 $40.02

1212.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K R$82.8K

$622 $622

2563.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 R$334

$19.92 $19.92

235.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 R$311

$38.69 $38.69

60.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R$505

$93.5 $93.5

8.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 R$454

$68.6 $68.6

32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$663 R$3,309

$213 $213

211.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$423 R$2,110

$148 $148

185.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,527 R$7,622

$400 $400

282.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 R$5,035

$272 $272

270.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,744 R$13.7K

$1,125 $1,125

143.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,068 R$10.3K

$689 $689

200.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$881 R$4,396

$252 $252

248.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.68

21.5

-45.67%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 6, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sao Paulo

$423 34.3%

Mashhad

$148 31.1% 65% $275

Groceries & Markets

Sao Paulo

$243 19.8%

Mashhad

$100 21% 58.9% $143

Eating Out

Sao Paulo

$163 13.3%

Mashhad

$55 11.5% 66.4% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Sao Paulo

$145 11.7%

Mashhad

$99 20.9% 31.3% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sao Paulo

$143 11.6%

Mashhad

$44 9.2% 69.4% $99

Getting Around

Sao Paulo

$59 4.8%

Mashhad

$6.4 1.4% 89.1% $53

Sport & Entertainment

Sao Paulo

$56 4.6%

Mashhad

$23 4.9% 58.1% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $663 in Sao Paulo versus $213 in Mashhad. 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 249% 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 $18.00 in Mashhad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $100 – making Mashhad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Sao Paulo

🇮🇷 Mashhad

🕒 Local time

04:47 4:47 AM

11:17 11:17 AM

6 h 30 min ahead of Sao Paulo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,451,999

3,001,184

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.2 USD

1 BRL = 0.179 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.6 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Sao Paulo Mashhad 12,930 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Sao Paulo
Mashhad

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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Paulo costs about 157% more than Mashhad, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,866 per month in Sao Paulo and $727 in Mashhad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mashhad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,244 in Sao Paulo and $485 in Mashhad. That's a gap of about 157%.

Public transport costs about 1193% less in Mashhad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mashhad, where all-in costs run around $485, than in Sao Paulo at $1,244. In Mashhad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sao Paulo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mashhad costs $485 versus $1,244 in Sao Paulo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mashhad. 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.