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: $1,056 in Sao Paulo versus $760 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Sao Paulo versus $1,181 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,307 in Sao Paulo versus $1,601 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 39% more expensive than Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R$37.91

$3.59 R$18.47

105.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.91 R$200

$14.25 R$73.4

173.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R$37.46

$6.62 R$34.10

9.82%

Cappuccino

$2.10 R$10.84

$1.58 R$8.14

32.91%

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

$1.21 R$6.22

$1.00 R$5.14

21.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.62 R$3.17

33.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R$11.24

$1.75 R$9.03

24.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$15.21

$3.00 R$15.46

-1.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.45

$0.95 R$4.88

11.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$9.07

$1.52 R$7.81

15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$1.59 R$8.18

-16.98%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$1.98 R$10.18

23.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 R$58.1

$7.84 R$40.39

43.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 R$22.63

$3.45 R$17.77

27.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 R$47.25

$7.27 R$37.44

26.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$13.94

$2.27 R$11.68

19.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.88

$1.34 R$6.89

43.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.68

$1.06 R$5.45

58.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.14

$1.35 R$6.95

31.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.41

$1.07 R$5.49

34.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.73

$0.86 R$4.44

52.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.20

$0.70 R$3.63

44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.82

$0.64 R$3.29

15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.82

$2.15 R$11.07

15.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 R$52.6

$6.04 R$31.11

69.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.74

$1.03 R$5.29

27.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.36

$2.13 R$11.00

12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.44

$0.86 R$4.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.69 R$235

$38.48 R$198

18.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.47

$0.92 R$4.76

15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.90

$1.08 R$5.56

-29.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 R$47.54

$3.55 R$18.28

160.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.67

$1.08 R$5.56

1.85%

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

$21.9K R$112.8K

$10.6K R$54.6K

106.76%

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

$28.0K R$144.1K

$27.1K R$139.5K

3.26%

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

$54.6 R$281

$65.0 R$335

-15.95%

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

$13.23 R$68.2

$14.30 R$73.7

-7.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 R$104

$20.71 R$107

-2.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 R$153

$22.97 R$118

29.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.42 R$182

$22.02 R$113

60.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 R$41.32

$7.04 R$36.25

13.92%

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

$504 R$2,595

$220 R$1,132

129.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$78.1K

$1,835 R$9,451

726.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R$264

$52.1 R$269

-1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 R$220

$37.55 R$193

13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 R$404

$72.6 R$374

8.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R$377

$64.2 R$331

13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 R$3,383

$321 R$1,655

104.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 R$2,116

$218 R$1,123

88.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,511

$586 R$3,020

115.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 R$3,906

$413 R$2,128

83.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 R$14.4K

$1,379 R$7,102

102.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 R$10.5K

$1,016 R$5,232

100.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$855 R$4,403

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Sao Paulo and $321 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 $219 vs $169 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 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,584 in Sao Paulo and $1,140 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: $657 in Sao Paulo versus $321 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 19% less than in Sao Paulo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $504 in Sao Paulo versus $220 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $760 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $1,056 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 39% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.