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: $1,056 in Sao Paulo versus $616 in Sete Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Sao Paulo versus $983 in Sete Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,307 in Sao Paulo versus $1,350 in Sete Lagoas.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 71% more expensive than Sete Lagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Sete Lagoas 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R$37.91

$6.43 R$33.10

14.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.91 R$200

$20.59 R$106

88.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R$37.46

$4.94 R$25.44

47.17%

Cappuccino

$2.10 R$10.84

$0.55 R$2.86

281.82%

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

$1.21 R$6.22

$0.88 R$4.56

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.26

$0.52 R$2.68

59.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R$11.24

$1.38 R$7.08

57.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$15.21

$1.72 R$8.87

71.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.45

$0.79 R$4.09

34.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$9.07

$0.61 R$3.14

188.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$1.59 R$8.17

-16.98%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.58

$1.54 R$7.96

58.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 R$58.1

$5.53 R$28.49

103.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 R$22.63

$2.75 R$14.17

59.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 R$47.25

$7.10 R$36.56

29.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$13.94

$0.87 R$4.49

211.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.88

$1.11 R$5.72

72.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.68

$0.56 R$2.87

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R$9.14

$0.86 R$4.43

106.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.41

$1.07 R$5.51

34.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.73

$0.56 R$2.89

133.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.20

$0.46 R$2.37

119.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.82

$0.48 R$2.47

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.82

$2.10 R$10.82

18.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 R$52.6

$5.79 R$29.80

76.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.74

$0.55 R$2.85

138.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.36

$0.93 R$4.81

158.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.44

$0.87 R$4.48

-1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.69 R$235

$38.34 R$197

19.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.47

$0.37 R$1.92

186.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.90

$0.27 R$1.39

181.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 R$47.54

$7.89 R$40.62

16.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.67

$0.88 R$4.53

25.00%

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

$21.9K R$112.8K

$12.5K R$64.4K

75.21%

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

$28.0K R$144.1K

$21.5K R$110.5K

30.38%

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

$54.6 R$281

$44.61 R$230

22.39%

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

$13.23 R$68.2

$14.36 R$74.0

-7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 R$104

$17.98 R$92.6

12.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 R$153

$22.59 R$116

31.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.42 R$182

$21.52 R$111

64.59%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 R$41.32

$3.68 R$18.94

117.93%

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

$504 R$2,595

$106 R$546

375.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$78.1K

$6,816 R$35.1K

122.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R$264

$9.06 R$46.69

464.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 R$220

$8.84 R$45.56

382.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 R$404

$36.45 R$188

115.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R$377

$36.27 R$187

101.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 R$3,383

$319 R$1,645

105.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 R$2,116

$219 R$1,127

87.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,511

$589 R$3,032

114.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 R$3,906

$437 R$2,253

73.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 R$14.4K

$1,618 R$8,335

72.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 R$10.5K

$1,161 R$5,983

75.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$855 R$4,403

$432 R$2,228

97.66%

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 Sete Lagoas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Sao Paulo and $319 in Sete Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 98% 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 $21.00 in Sete Lagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $124 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sao Paulo pays 98% 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: $657 in Sao Paulo versus $319 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 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 $106 in Sete Lagoas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $616 in Sete Lagoas versus $1,056 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 71% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.