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: $1,048 in Sao Paulo versus $626 in Teresina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,676 in Sao Paulo versus $1,041 in Teresina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,304 in Sao Paulo versus $1,455 in Teresina.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 67% more expensive than Teresina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.00 R$35.59

$5.26 R$26.76

33.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.11 R$199

$26.72 R$136

46.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 R$37.66

$6.23 R$31.71

18.78%

Cappuccino

$2.01 R$10.23

$1.80 R$9.17

11.67%

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

$1.24 R$6.30

$1.08 R$5.52

14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.61 R$3.11

40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 R$10.73

$1.76 R$8.94

19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 R$14.91

$2.64 R$13.45

10.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.42

$1.25 R$6.34

-15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.35

$2.07 R$10.55

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.96

$1.23 R$6.26

11.38%

Eggs

$2.46 R$12.52

$3.63 R$18.45

-32.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 R$56.7

$8.06 R$41.02

38.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 R$22.07

$3.55 R$18.04

22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 R$45.34

$7.12 R$36.24

25.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 R$14.61

$1.59 R$8.10

80.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.82

$1.30 R$6.59

48.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.39

$1.19 R$6.08

38.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 R$9.41

$1.44 R$7.31

28.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.07

$1.14 R$5.81

21.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.62

$1.07 R$5.43

21.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 R$4.72

$0.70 R$3.55

32.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.51

$0.63 R$3.20

9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 R$12.95

$2.15 R$10.93

18.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 R$50.8

$9.51 R$48.38

4.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R$6.83

$1.26 R$6.40

6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 R$11.63

$2.08 R$10.59

10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R$4.51

$0.74 R$3.77

20.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.66 R$232

$38.76 R$197

17.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.41

$1.06 R$5.40

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.87

$0.94 R$4.81

-19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 R$46.11

$6.23 R$31.70

45.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.06 R$5.40

3.77%

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

$21.9K R$111.5K

$20.4K R$103.8K

7.46%

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

$28.5K R$145.0K

$27.2K R$138.2K

4.92%

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

$54.4 R$277

$59.8 R$304

-9.07%

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

$12.96 R$65.9

$13.47 R$68.5

-3.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.61 R$105

$16.22 R$82.5

27.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.87 R$147

$19.00 R$96.7

51.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.52 R$181

$21.74 R$111

63.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 R$40.08

$8.00 R$40.69

-1.50%

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

$505 R$2,569

$269 R$1,370

87.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.9K

$6,593 R$33.5K

135.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 R$267

$27.28 R$139

92.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.10 R$214

$21.03 R$107

100.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 R$397

$54.0 R$275

44.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 R$378

$42.69 R$217

73.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 R$3,427

$135 R$689

397.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 R$2,033

$97.9 R$498

308.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 R$6,465

$336 R$1,708

278.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$766 R$3,900

$246 R$1,250

211.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 R$14.2K

$1,385 R$7,048

101.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,987 R$10.1K

$771 R$3,925

157.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$873 R$4,440

$424 R$2,159

105.68%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Teresina: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $674 in Sao Paulo and $135 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 $189 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 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sao Paulo pays 106% 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: $674 in Sao Paulo versus $135 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 18% less than in Sao Paulo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $505 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 $626 in Teresina versus $1,048 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 67% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.