Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Teresina Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Teresina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,046 in Sao Paulo versus $620 in Teresina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,662 in Sao Paulo versus $1,040 in Teresina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,279 in Sao Paulo versus $1,460 in Teresina.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 69% more expensive than in Teresina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.28 R$36.92

$5.27 R$26.76

38.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 R$199

$26.66 R$135

47.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.10 R$36.04

$6.40 R$32.48

10.94%

Cappuccino

$2.01 R$10.21

$1.80 R$9.13

11.67%

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

$1.25 R$6.35

$1.12 R$5.70

11.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.32

$0.67 R$3.39

26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 R$11.23

$1.75 R$8.90

26.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 R$14.84

$2.73 R$13.84

7.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.18

$1.24 R$6.28

-17.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 R$9.02

$2.17 R$11.02

-17.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.88

$1.25 R$6.34

8.80%

Eggs

$2.49 R$12.62

$3.58 R$18.17

-30.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.20 R$56.8

$8.27 R$41.98

35.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 R$21.94

$3.70 R$18.79

16.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 R$46.31

$7.12 R$36.12

28.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.26

$1.61 R$8.18

74.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R$9.72

$1.29 R$6.56

48.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.37

$1.15 R$5.86

43.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 R$8.97

$1.50 R$7.62

18.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.97

$1.14 R$5.81

20.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.52

$1.11 R$5.62

16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 R$4.84

$0.74 R$3.78

28.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.71

$0.62 R$3.16

17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 R$12.97

$2.15 R$10.91

19.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 R$50.3

$9.40 R$47.72

5.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R$6.88

$1.26 R$6.37

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$11.96

$2.09 R$10.59

12.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R$4.50

$0.70 R$3.56

27.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.17 R$229

$38.56 R$196

17.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.41

$1.11 R$5.64

-3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.64

$0.89 R$4.52

-19.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.08 R$46.10

$6.37 R$32.34

42.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.42

$1.10 R$5.58

-2.73%

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

$21.9K R$111.0K

$20.4K R$103.4K

7.39%

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

$28.5K R$144.7K

$27.6K R$140.0K

3.35%

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

$55.6 R$282

$61.7 R$313

-9.86%

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

$13.06 R$66.3

$13.39 R$67.9

-2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.35 R$103

$16.27 R$82.6

25.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.17 R$148

$19.10 R$96.9

52.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.33 R$179

$21.85 R$111

61.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 R$41.33

$8.07 R$40.93

0.99%

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

$489 R$2,481

$269 R$1,363

81.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.3K

$6,560 R$33.3K

132.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 R$263

$26.74 R$136

93.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.24 R$214

$20.37 R$103

107.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 R$398

$54.8 R$278

43.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.8 R$374

$41.73 R$212

76.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 R$3,370

$137 R$695

384.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 R$2,056

$101 R$513

300.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 R$6,448

$333 R$1,689

281.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$762 R$3,866

$240 R$1,218

217.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,709 R$13.7K

$1,364 R$6,923

98.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,928 R$9,784

$756 R$3,834

155.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$854 R$4,332

$414 R$2,101

106.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

10.92

5.86%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: July 25, 2026

Last update for Teresina: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Sao Paulo and $137 in Teresina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 106% 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 Teresina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $191 per month, with Teresina 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 Teresina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Teresina is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 106% 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: $664 in Sao Paulo versus $137 in Teresina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Teresina 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 $489 in Sao Paulo versus $269 in Teresina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $620 in Teresina versus $1,046 in Sao Paulo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Teresina but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Teresina the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Teresina 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 Teresina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.