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: $1,054 in Sao Paulo versus $809 in Ubatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Sao Paulo versus $1,304 in Ubatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,271 in Sao Paulo versus $1,798 in Ubatuba.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 30% more expensive than in Ubatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.27 R$37.18

$6.91 R$35.31

5.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.06 R$200

$25.79 R$132

51.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 R$36.31

$4.61 R$23.58

54.23%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R$10.60

$1.38 R$7.05

50.00%

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

$1.21 R$6.17

$1.22 R$6.24

-0.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.35

$0.77 R$3.92

10.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 R$10.74

$1.81 R$9.27

16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 R$14.77

$2.80 R$14.33

3.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.43

$0.97 R$4.96

9.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 R$9.51

$1.64 R$8.40

13.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.60

$1.18 R$6.03

9.32%

Eggs

$2.36 R$12.08

$2.28 R$11.65

3.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 R$56.1

$2.69 R$13.74

308.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.34 R$22.16

$3.56 R$18.18

21.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 R$47.48

$7.03 R$35.94

32.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 R$14.44

$1.41 R$7.20

100.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.39

$1.09 R$5.59

68.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.31

$1.05 R$5.35

55.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 R$9.00

$1.64 R$8.40

7.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.05

$1.11 R$5.66

24.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.39

$1.06 R$5.41

17.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 R$5.06

$0.88 R$4.51

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.73

$0.56 R$2.86

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.48 R$12.67

$1.84 R$9.39

34.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 R$50.0

$7.87 R$40.21

24.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.98

$1.36 R$6.95

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 R$12.14

$2.00 R$10.23

19.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.80

$0.94 R$4.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.40 R$227

$38.78 R$198

14.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.67

$1.12 R$5.71

-0.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.65

$0.62 R$3.17

14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 R$46.57

$7.82 R$39.97

16.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.37

$1.07 R$5.44

-1.87%

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

$22.0K R$112.6K

$22.3K R$113.9K

-1.07%

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

$27.9K R$142.8K

$28.0K R$143.3K

-0.34%

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

$53.8 R$275

$51.2 R$262

4.96%

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

$13.21 R$67.5

$8.26 R$42.24

59.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.27 R$104

$17.85 R$91.2

13.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.44 R$150

$22.09 R$113

33.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 R$182

$21.41 R$109

66.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 R$41.71

$7.34 R$37.53

11.17%

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

$505 R$2,583

$325 R$1,660

55.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$78.0K

$8,925 R$45.6K

70.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R$260

$54.9 R$280

-7.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.52 R$217

$56.2 R$287

-24.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 R$405

$74.1 R$379

6.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 R$371

$76.8 R$392

-5.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$659 R$3,370

$364 R$1,861

81.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,089

$266 R$1,361

53.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 R$6,579

$718 R$3,670

79.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 R$3,837

$537 R$2,744

39.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,740 R$14.0K

$1,751 R$8,948

56.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,983 R$10.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$839 R$4,288

$370 R$1,890

126.91%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubatuba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $659 in Sao Paulo and $364 in Ubatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 127% 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 $217 vs $155 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 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 127% 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: $659 in Sao Paulo versus $364 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 14% 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 $325 in Ubatuba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $809 in Ubatuba versus $1,054 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 30% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.