Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Passo Fundo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Passo Fundo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Sao Paulo versus $678 in Passo Fundo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Sao Paulo versus $1,120 in Passo Fundo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,271 in Sao Paulo versus $1,562 in Passo Fundo.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 55% more expensive than in Passo Fundo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Passo Fundo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.27 R$37.04

$5.43 R$27.66

33.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$199

$27.20 R$138

43.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 R$36.18

$6.18 R$31.46

15.05%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R$10.56

$0.92 R$4.68

125.00%

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

$1.21 R$6.15

$1.10 R$5.60

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.34

$0.52 R$2.63

63.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 R$10.70

$1.45 R$7.38

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R$14.72

$1.78 R$9.07

62.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.41

$0.86 R$4.36

23.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 R$9.47

$1.45 R$7.41

28.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.57

$1.09 R$5.57

18.35%

Eggs

$2.36 R$12.04

$2.07 R$10.52

14.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 R$55.9

$6.00 R$30.56

83.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 R$22.07

$4.66 R$23.74

-6.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 R$47.30

$9.28 R$47.24

0.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 R$14.39

$2.06 R$10.47

37.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.35

$0.73 R$3.73

152.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.28

$1.28 R$6.52

27.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 R$8.97

$0.71 R$3.59

147.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.02

$1.10 R$5.58

25.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.37

$1.06 R$5.41

17.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 R$5.04

$0.63 R$3.23

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.72

$0.62 R$3.17

17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 R$12.62

$1.92 R$9.80

29.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 R$49.81

$7.80 R$39.70

25.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.95

$0.75 R$3.83

82.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 R$12.09

$1.81 R$9.20

31.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.78

$0.88 R$4.47

6.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.40 R$226

$39.13 R$199

13.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.65

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.63

$1.05 R$5.36

-32.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 R$46.40

$5.30 R$27.00

71.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.35

$1.06 R$5.40

-0.94%

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

$22.0K R$112.2K

$24.7K R$125.9K

-10.90%

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

$27.9K R$142.3K

$27.7K R$141.2K

0.78%

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

$53.8 R$274

$33.94 R$173

58.37%

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

$13.21 R$67.3

$6.79 R$34.55

94.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.27 R$103

$17.31 R$88.2

17.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.44 R$150

$18.00 R$91.6

63.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 R$181

$21.66 R$110

64.45%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 R$41.55

$4.38 R$22.32

86.30%

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

$505 R$2,573

$314 R$1,599

60.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.7K

$7,169 R$36.5K

112.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R$259

$48.41 R$246

5.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.52 R$216

$54.8 R$279

-22.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 R$403

$80.5 R$410

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 R$370

$61.8 R$315

17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 R$3,357

$317 R$1,613

108.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,081

$177 R$900

131.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 R$6,554

$636 R$3,240

102.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 R$3,822

$367 R$1,867

104.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,740 R$14.0K

$848 R$4,318

223.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,983 R$10.1K

$630 R$3,208

214.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$839 R$4,272

$684 R$3,483

22.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

15.60%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: July 14, 2026

Last update for Passo Fundo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $659 in Sao Paulo and $317 in Passo Fundo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 23% 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 $27.00 in Passo Fundo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $167 per month, with Passo Fundo 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 Passo Fundo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Passo Fundo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $659 in Sao Paulo versus $317 in Passo Fundo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Passo Fundo – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $39.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,054 per month in Sao Paulo versus $678 in Passo Fundo – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $678 in Passo Fundo versus $1,054 in Sao Paulo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Passo Fundo but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Passo Fundo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Passo Fundo 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 Passo Fundo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.