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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,056 in Sao Paulo versus $822 in Ubatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,681 in Sao Paulo versus $1,316 in Ubatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,307 in Sao Paulo versus $1,809 in Ubatuba.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 28% more expensive than Ubatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 21% lower, Ubatuba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.36 R$37.23

$6.81 R$34.44

8.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.91 R$197

$26.14 R$132

48.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 R$36.80

$4.37 R$22.09

66.36%

Cappuccino

$2.10 R$10.64

$1.34 R$6.76

56.72%

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

$1.21 R$6.11

$1.29 R$6.50

-6.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.18

$0.81 R$4.11

2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R$11.04

$1.83 R$9.27

19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R$14.94

$2.72 R$13.75

8.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.36

$1.02 R$5.18

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 R$8.91

$1.58 R$7.97

11.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.67

$1.17 R$5.92

12.82%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.36

$2.36 R$11.94

3.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 R$57.1

$2.77 R$14.02

307.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 R$22.22

$3.70 R$18.70

18.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 R$46.41

$7.04 R$35.61

30.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$13.70

$1.48 R$7.46

83.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.71

$1.06 R$5.35

81.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 R$8.53

$1.06 R$5.38

58.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 R$8.98

$1.63 R$8.25

9.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.28

$1.11 R$5.61

29.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.10 R$5.56

19.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 R$5.11

$0.86 R$4.37

17.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.75

$0.53 R$2.67

39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.59

$1.78 R$8.99

39.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.21 R$51.7

$8.26 R$41.80

23.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.62

$1.36 R$6.87

-3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 R$12.14

$1.97 R$9.99

21.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.36

$0.92 R$4.67

-6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.69 R$231

$38.43 R$194

18.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.11 R$5.62

-4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.83

$0.63 R$3.17

20.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.23 R$46.69

$7.60 R$38.44

21.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.57

$1.07 R$5.43

2.80%

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

$21.9K R$110.8K

$22.6K R$114.5K

-3.18%

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

$28.0K R$141.5K

$28.1K R$142.3K

-0.57%

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

$54.6 R$276

$52.1 R$263

4.84%

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

$13.23 R$66.9

$8.07 R$40.82

63.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.26 R$102

$18.26 R$92.4

10.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.69 R$150

$22.39 R$113

32.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.42 R$179

$21.20 R$107

67.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 R$40.58

$7.35 R$37.16

9.12%

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

$504 R$2,549

$321 R$1,625

56.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$76.8K

$8,688 R$44.0K

74.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 R$259

$55.8 R$282

-8.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 R$216

$57.3 R$290

-25.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 R$397

$75.0 R$380

4.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 R$370

$75.8 R$383

-3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 R$3,322

$356 R$1,803

84.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 R$2,078

$272 R$1,374

51.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,264 R$6,395

$708 R$3,582

78.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 R$3,837

$540 R$2,734

40.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 R$14.1K

$1,759 R$8,897

58.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 R$10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$855 R$4,325

$375 R$1,897

127.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

11.17

3.49%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubatuba: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Sao Paulo and $356 in Ubatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 128% 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 $26.00 in Ubatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $157 per month, with Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubatuba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sao Paulo pays 128% 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 $356 in Ubatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubatuba 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 $321 in Ubatuba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $822 in Ubatuba versus $1,056 in Sao Paulo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ubatuba but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Ubatuba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubatuba 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 Ubatuba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.