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: $1,188 in Sao Paulo versus $844 in Ubatuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,960 in Sao Paulo versus $1,334 in Ubatuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,732 in Sao Paulo versus $1,823 in Ubatuba.

Living in Sao Paulo is roughly 41% more expensive than in Ubatuba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Paulo 14% lower, Ubatuba 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.60 R$43.79

$7.17 R$36.50

19.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.05 R$250

$28.43 R$145

72.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 R$43.00

$4.77 R$24.29

76.94%

Cappuccino

$2.47 R$12.57

$1.43 R$7.27

72.73%

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

$1.34 R$6.83

$1.24 R$6.31

8.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.36

$0.84 R$4.27

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 R$14.67

$2.38 R$12.10

21.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 R$21.86

$3.77 R$19.19

13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.76

$1.06 R$5.40

6.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 R$9.12

$1.69 R$8.61

5.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.98

$1.29 R$6.55

6.20%

Eggs

$2.78 R$14.18

$2.65 R$13.52

4.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.64 R$59.3

$2.93 R$14.92

297.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 R$25.12

$3.76 R$19.16

31.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.34 R$52.7

$7.52 R$38.29

37.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 R$13.85

$1.49 R$7.61

82.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.16

$1.14 R$5.78

57.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.86

$1.14 R$5.83

35.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.20

$1.49 R$7.57

21.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.07

$1.17 R$5.97

18.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.34

$1.19 R$6.07

4.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 R$6.00

$0.94 R$4.79

25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.30

$0.56 R$2.86

51.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$14.92

$2.40 R$12.22

22.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.58 R$48.79

$8.01 R$40.80

19.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 R$8.25

$1.50 R$7.62

8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.38

$2.48 R$12.64

6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 R$5.34

$1.00 R$5.10

5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.17 R$240

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 R$8.63

$1.14 R$5.83

48.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.68

$0.74 R$3.78

24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 R$50.7

$8.48 R$43.17

17.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.39

$1.27 R$6.47

-0.79%

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

$23.1K R$117.6K

$23.1K R$117.7K

-0.12%

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

$32.2K R$164.0K

$31.3K R$159.4K

2.90%

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

$103 R$523

$63.7 R$324

61.30%

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

$15.65 R$79.7

$9.02 R$45.94

73.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.86 R$111

$19.43 R$98.9

12.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 R$179

$11.79 R$60.0

198.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.92 R$229

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 R$49.02

$7.54 R$38.42

27.59%

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

$492 R$2,506

$421 R$2,146

16.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K R$80.5K

$9,590 R$48.8K

64.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 R$309

$65.2 R$332

-7.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 R$304

$55.2 R$281

8.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 R$469

$92.3 R$470

-0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 R$428

$81.9 R$417

2.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 R$3,268

$388 R$1,977

65.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 R$2,058

$284 R$1,449

42.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 R$7,439

$786 R$4,005

85.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$955 R$4,862

$586 R$2,983

63.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 R$13.8K

$1,728 R$8,803

56.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,014 R$10.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$889 R$4,529

$369 R$1,879

140.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

10.81

11.38%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubatuba: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Sao Paulo and $388 in Ubatuba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 141% 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: $49.00 in Sao Paulo vs $28.00 in Ubatuba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $165 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, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 141% 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: $642 in Sao Paulo versus $388 in Ubatuba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $492 in Sao Paulo versus $421 in Ubatuba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubatuba – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $49.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $844 in Ubatuba versus $1,188 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 41% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.