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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,044 in Sao Paulo versus $681 in Timbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,646 in Sao Paulo versus $1,118 in Timbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,247 in Sao Paulo versus $1,555 in Timbo.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 53% more expensive than in Timbo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 22% lower, Timbo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 R$37.42

$4.59 R$23.20

61.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.30 R$199

$32.70 R$165

20.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 R$37.50

$3.52 R$17.81

110.51%

Cappuccino

$2.08 R$10.50

$1.78 R$9.01

16.85%

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

$1.19 R$6.02

$0.98 R$4.95

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.61

$0.66 R$3.32

37.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R$11.12

$1.68 R$8.49

30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 R$14.74

$2.10 R$10.62

38.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.83 R$4.20

21.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.30

$1.32 R$6.69

39.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.83

$0.79 R$3.97

70.89%

Eggs

$2.46 R$12.42

$1.68 R$8.51

46.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.02 R$55.7

$7.00 R$35.43

57.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 R$21.14

$3.07 R$15.52

36.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 R$45.52

$6.63 R$33.56

35.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 R$14.21

$1.66 R$8.42

69.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 R$9.63

$0.64 R$3.24

196.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.48

$0.76 R$3.82

121.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.26

$1.24 R$6.30

47.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.18

$0.88 R$4.44

61.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.56

$0.93 R$4.68

39.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 R$4.70

$0.57 R$2.86

63.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.72

$0.66 R$3.36

12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.45 R$12.38

$1.42 R$7.18

72.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.69 R$49.02

$4.81 R$24.31

101.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 R$6.66

$1.04 R$5.25

26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 R$11.48

$1.82 R$9.19

24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.71

$0.88 R$4.47

5.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.14 R$223

$38.63 R$195

14.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.38

$1.16 R$5.88

-8.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.86

$0.66 R$3.35

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 R$47.23

$6.43 R$32.50

45.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.39

$0.88 R$4.43

21.59%

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

$21.6K R$109.3K

$18.6K R$94.1K

16.11%

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

$28.2K R$142.7K

$24.5K R$123.9K

15.19%

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

$54.8 R$277

$52.4 R$265

4.58%

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

$12.95 R$65.5

$11.60 R$58.7

11.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.17 R$102

$21.01 R$106

-4.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.79 R$146

$22.09 R$112

30.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.79 R$181

$21.88 R$111

63.57%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 R$41.08

$5.33 R$26.95

52.35%

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

$489 R$2,471

$217 R$1,098

125.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.3K

$2,592 R$13.1K

497.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 R$257

$28.90 R$146

75.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.48 R$215

$35.33 R$179

20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 R$400

$54.1 R$274

45.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 R$369

$44.35 R$224

64.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 R$3,347

$311 R$1,572

112.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 R$2,064

$217 R$1,097

88.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,263 R$6,388

$574 R$2,901

120.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 R$3,825

$431 R$2,178

75.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 R$13.7K

$1,638 R$8,285

65.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,946 R$9,845

$1,194 R$6,039

63.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$867 R$4,384

$679 R$3,433

27.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

5.09%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: July 22, 2026

Last update for Timbo: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Sao Paulo and $311 in Timbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 28% 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 $33.00 in Timbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $142 per month, with Timbo 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 Timbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timbo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $662 in Sao Paulo versus $311 in Timbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Timbo runs roughly 14% 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 $217 in Timbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $681 in Timbo versus $1,044 in Sao Paulo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timbo but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Timbo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Timbo 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 Timbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.