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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,186 in Sao Paulo versus $831 in Três Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Sao Paulo versus $1,440 in Três Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Sao Paulo versus $2,049 in Três Lagoas.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 43% more expensive than in Três Lagoas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 13% lower, Três Lagoas 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.62 R$44.42

$5.87 R$30.26

46.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.80 R$246

$31.66 R$163

50.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 R$43.83

$7.34 R$37.80

15.94%

Cappuccino

$2.50 R$12.87

$1.91 R$9.83

30.89%

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

$1.37 R$7.08

$1.31 R$6.75

4.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.14

$0.79 R$4.05

1.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 R$14.65

$1.93 R$9.93

47.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 R$22.49

$2.91 R$15.01

50.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 R$6.18

$1.44 R$7.41

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 R$9.35

$2.11 R$10.89

-14.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.15

$2.20 R$11.35

-36.82%

Eggs

$2.70 R$13.92

$3.57 R$18.39

-24.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.62 R$59.9

$5.80 R$29.87

100.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.24 R$27.02

$5.42 R$27.93

-3.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 R$54.7

$6.30 R$32.43

68.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$13.98

$1.62 R$8.35

67.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 R$8.81

$1.39 R$7.17

23.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 R$8.06

$1.45 R$7.47

7.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.42

$2.29 R$11.81

-20.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 R$7.02

$1.72 R$8.86

-20.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.35

$1.10 R$5.65

11.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 R$6.07

$0.80 R$4.10

47.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.32

$0.60 R$3.12

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 R$15.24

$1.93 R$9.93

53.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 R$50.5

$7.83 R$40.32

25.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 R$8.60

$1.01 R$5.20

65.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.75

$2.06 R$10.62

29.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.15

$1.06 R$5.45

-5.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.38 R$244

$43.23 R$223

9.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 R$8.90

$1.22 R$6.30

41.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 R$5.07

$0.81 R$4.15

20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 R$50.5

$7.89 R$40.63

24.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.51

$1.21 R$6.25

4.13%

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

$23.0K R$118.4K

$22.9K R$117.8K

0.59%

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

$33.5K R$172.6K

$32.2K R$166.1K

3.92%

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

$96.7 R$498

$73.1 R$376

32.33%

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

$15.73 R$81.1

$12.06 R$62.1

30.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.43 R$110

$20.73 R$107

3.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.21 R$171

$25.63 R$132

29.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.18 R$228

$27.23 R$140

62.25%

Cinema Ticket

$9.45 R$48.69

$6.93 R$35.72

36.36%

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

$507 R$2,612

$289 R$1,491

75.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$80.1K

$6,777 R$34.9K

129.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 R$330

$53.1 R$273

20.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.7 R$313

$49.60 R$256

22.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 R$502

$91.4 R$471

6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 R$447

$69.9 R$360

24.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 R$3,374

$382 R$1,970

71.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,107

$198 R$1,021

106.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 R$7,037

$843 R$4,342

62.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$935 R$4,816

$644 R$3,317

45.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,792 R$14.4K

$1,621 R$8,351

72.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,002 R$10.3K

$1,120 R$5,768

78.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 R$4,360

$174 R$898

385.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

11.06

8.86%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Três Lagoas: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $655 in Sao Paulo and $382 in Três Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 386% 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: $48.00 in Sao Paulo vs $32.00 in Três Lagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $198 per month, with Três 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 Três Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Três Lagoas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 386% 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: $655 in Sao Paulo versus $382 in Três Lagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Três Lagoas runs roughly 10% less than in Sao Paulo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $507 in Sao Paulo versus $289 in Três Lagoas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $831 in Três Lagoas versus $1,186 in Sao Paulo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Três Lagoas but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Três Lagoas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Três 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 Três Lagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.