Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,044 in Sao Paulo versus $746 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,646 in Sao Paulo versus $1,166 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,247 in Sao Paulo versus $1,587 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 40% more expensive than in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 22% lower, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 R$37.42

$3.56 R$18.00

107.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.30 R$199

$14.25 R$72.1

175.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 R$37.50

$6.82 R$34.47

8.65%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R$10.50

$1.56 R$7.88

33.33%

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

$1.19 R$6.02

$0.97 R$4.93

22.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.61

$0.64 R$3.25

42.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R$11.12

$1.77 R$8.96

24.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 R$14.74

$3.12 R$15.77

-6.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.89 R$4.48

13.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.30

$1.46 R$7.38

26.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.83

$1.54 R$7.80

-12.34%

Eggs

$2.46 R$12.42

$1.91 R$9.64

28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 R$55.7

$8.23 R$41.63

33.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 R$21.14

$3.42 R$17.30

22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 R$45.52

$7.43 R$37.60

21.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.21

$2.20 R$11.10

27.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 R$9.63

$1.34 R$6.79

41.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.48

$1.07 R$5.40

57.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.26

$1.35 R$6.85

35.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.18

$1.03 R$5.19

37.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.56

$0.84 R$4.27

54.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 R$4.70

$0.65 R$3.30

43.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.72

$0.63 R$3.19

17.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 R$12.38

$2.14 R$10.81

14.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 R$49.02

$5.97 R$30.21

62.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.66

$1.02 R$5.16

29.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$2.19 R$11.09

3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.92 R$4.65

1.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.14 R$223

$38.38 R$194

15.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.38

$0.91 R$4.62

16.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.86

$1.12 R$5.67

-32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 R$47.23

$3.57 R$18.08

161.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.39

$1.05 R$5.31

1.90%

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

$21.6K R$109.3K

$10.9K R$55.3K

97.65%

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

$28.2K R$142.7K

$26.9K R$135.9K

5.04%

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

$54.8 R$277

$66.0 R$334

-16.95%

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

$12.95 R$65.5

$14.48 R$73.2

-10.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.17 R$102

$21.17 R$107

-4.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.79 R$146

$22.23 R$112

29.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.79 R$181

$21.24 R$107

68.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 R$41.08

$7.08 R$35.81

14.69%

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

$489 R$2,471

$212 R$1,074

130.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.3K

$1,779 R$8,997

770.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R$257

$51.9 R$263

-2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.48 R$215

$37.21 R$188

14.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 R$400

$72.4 R$366

9.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 R$369

$64.7 R$327

12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 R$3,347

$313 R$1,584

111.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,064

$220 R$1,112

85.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 R$6,388

$587 R$2,969

115.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,825

$403 R$2,037

87.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 R$13.7K

$1,492 R$7,549

81.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,946 R$9,845

$1,189 R$6,013

63.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 R$4,384

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Sao Paulo and $313 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Sao Paulo vs $14.00 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $168 per month, with Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,566 in Sao Paulo and $1,119 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Sao Paulo versus $313 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais runs roughly 15% less than in Sao Paulo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $489 in Sao Paulo versus $212 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $746 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $1,044 in Sao Paulo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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.

Safety-wise, Sao Paulo and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.