Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Sete Lagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Sete Lagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,059 in Sao Paulo versus $623 in Sete Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,691 in Sao Paulo versus $984 in Sete Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,323 in Sao Paulo versus $1,344 in Sete Lagoas.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 70% more expensive than Sete Lagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Sete Lagoas 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R$36.57

$6.34 R$31.51

16.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 R$195

$20.74 R$103

89.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.06 R$35.08

$4.96 R$24.66

42.34%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.94

$0.52 R$2.56

284.62%

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

$1.19 R$5.91

$0.89 R$4.41

33.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.12

$0.56 R$2.78

48.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 R$10.51

$1.39 R$6.89

51.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 R$14.09

$1.67 R$8.29

70.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.25

$0.85 R$4.24

24.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 R$9.09

$0.60 R$3.00

205.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.43

$1.61 R$8.00

-19.88%

Eggs

$2.41 R$11.96

$1.55 R$7.68

55.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.04 R$54.9

$5.49 R$27.30

101.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 R$20.75

$2.71 R$13.47

54.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 R$45.83

$7.32 R$36.37

25.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 R$14.17

$0.92 R$4.56

209.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.53

$1.06 R$5.25

81.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 R$8.47

$0.52 R$2.59

226.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R$8.87

$0.92 R$4.55

93.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.09

$1.03 R$5.11

38.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.17

$0.53 R$2.62

133.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 R$5.05

$0.47 R$2.31

117.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.66

$0.48 R$2.36

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 R$12.87

$2.20 R$10.95

17.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 R$50.5

$7.86 R$39.05

29.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.69

$0.56 R$2.80

141.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 R$11.79

$0.87 R$4.35

172.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.69

$0.86 R$4.27

9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.42 R$226

$38.67 R$192

17.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.26

$0.37 R$1.84

186.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.72

$0.27 R$1.36

177.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.32 R$46.34

$7.97 R$39.62

16.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.53

$0.89 R$4.42

24.72%

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

$21.3K R$105.7K

$12.7K R$63.2K

67.09%

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

$28.4K R$141.2K

$21.2K R$105.4K

33.97%

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

$53.6 R$266

$44.90 R$223

19.33%

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

$13.41 R$66.7

$14.30 R$71.1

-6.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 R$99.2

$17.79 R$88.4

12.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.18 R$145

$22.25 R$111

31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.88 R$178

$21.46 R$107

67.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.92 R$39.37

$3.71 R$18.43

113.48%

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

$506 R$2,517

$108 R$535

370.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K R$75.2K

$6,767 R$33.6K

123.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 R$253

$8.80 R$43.71

479.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 R$215

$9.24 R$45.92

367.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 R$394

$36.44 R$181

117.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.3 R$369

$35.37 R$176

110.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 R$3,286

$311 R$1,547

112.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 R$2,017

$220 R$1,095

84.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 R$6,357

$588 R$2,924

117.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$746 R$3,709

$427 R$2,121

74.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,984 R$14.8K

$1,693 R$8,414

76.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,181 R$10.8K

$1,174 R$5,836

85.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$872 R$4,334

$444 R$2,208

96.29%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Sete Lagoas: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Sao Paulo and $311 in Sete Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 96% 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 in Sao Paulo vs $21 in Sete Lagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $129 per month, with Sete Lagoas 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 Sete Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sete Lagoas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sao Paulo pays 96% more on average, 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: $661 in Sao Paulo versus $311 in Sete Lagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sete Lagoas runs roughly 17% less than in Sao Paulo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $506 in Sao Paulo versus $108 in Sete Lagoas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $623 in Sete Lagoas versus $1,059 in Sao Paulo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sete Lagoas but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Sete Lagoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sete Lagoas 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 Sete Lagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.