Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Paulo and Winona, MN

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Paulo: $1,222 a month against $1,950 in Winona, MN, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Sao Paulo
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,222
/mo nomad
Winona, MN
🇺🇸 United States
$1,950
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sao Paulo and in Winona, MN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sao Paulo and in Winona, MN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,222 in Sao Paulo versus $1,950 in Winona, MN.

  • Sao Paulo $1,222
  • Winona, MN $1,950

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Sao Paulo versus $2,925 in Winona, MN.

  • Sao Paulo $2,044
  • Winona, MN $2,925

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Sao Paulo versus $3,900 in Winona, MN.

  • Sao Paulo $2,867
  • Winona, MN $3,900

Living in Sao Paulo costs roughly 37% less than in Winona, MN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Paulo is 10% below, Winona, MN is 44% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.71 R$44.15
$15.12 $15.12
-42.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.61 R$246
$58.5 $58.5
-16.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.03 R$45.77
$11.46 $11.46
-21.20%
Cappuccino
$2.55 R$12.94
$5.54 $5.54
-53.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 R$6.83
$1.79 $1.79
-24.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 R$4.63
$1.03 $1.03
-11.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.07 R$15.55
$4.12 $4.12
-25.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 R$22.21
$5.90 $5.90
-25.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 R$6.05
$1.00 $1.00
19.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 R$9.14
$1.41 $1.41
27.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 R$7.51
$4.16 $4.16
-64.42%
Eggs
$2.82 R$14.31
$1.75 $1.75
61.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.61 R$63.9
$14.72 $14.72
-14.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.40 R$27.36
$13.41 $13.41
-59.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.76 R$54.6
$19.81 $19.81
-45.68%
Apples (1kg)
$2.82 R$14.28
$4.61 $4.61
-38.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.82 R$9.25
$0.64 $0.64
184.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 R$8.14
$5.12 $5.12
-68.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 R$10.28
$4.96 $4.96
-59.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 R$7.40
$2.79 $2.79
-47.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.25 R$6.35
$3.03 $3.03
-58.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 R$6.32
$2.10 $2.10
-40.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 R$4.98
$2.37 $2.37
-58.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.00 R$15.18
$10.85 $10.85
-72.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.71 R$49.22
$15.47 $15.47
-37.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 R$9.32
$2.70 $2.70
-31.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 R$12.80
$4.33 $4.33
-41.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.07 R$5.41
$2.03 $2.03
-47.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.26 R$240
$66.8 $66.8
-29.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 R$9.16
$3.88 $3.88
-53.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 R$5.14
$2.06 $2.06
-50.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.24 R$51.9
$42.95 $42.95
-76.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.29 R$6.52
$0.99 $0.99
30.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.5K R$119.3K
$31.1K $31.1K
-24.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.5K R$174.9K
$26.1K $26.1K
32.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 R$527
$198 $198
-47.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.60 R$84.1
$29.44 $29.44
-43.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.04 R$112
$53.2 $53.2
-58.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.43 R$185
$60.4 $60.4
-39.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.29 R$240
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.69 R$49.12
$9.82 $9.82
-1.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$573 R$2,906
$1,718 $1,718
-66.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.9K R$85.8K
$23.9K $23.9K
-29.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.3 R$336
$63.1 $63.1
5.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.1 R$310
$50.4 $50.4
21.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.8 R$501
$106 $106
-6.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 R$463
$123 $123
-25.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$654 R$3,316
$867 $867
-24.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$418 R$2,120
$686 $686
-39.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,524 R$7,724
$1,285 $1,285
18.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$992 R$5,028
$1,180 $1,180
-15.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,670 R$13.5K
$1,671 $1,671
59.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,019 R$10.2K
$1,653 $1,653
22.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sao Paulo
Winona, MN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$900 R$4,563
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.68
6.69
74.59%

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

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 18, 2026

Last update for Winona, MN: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sao Paulo
$418
Winona, MN
$686 63.9% $267
Groceries & Markets
Sao Paulo
$243
Winona, MN
$395 62.4% $152
Eating Out
Sao Paulo
$161
Winona, MN
$265 65.3% $105
Clothing & Footwear
Sao Paulo
$143
Winona, MN
$154 7.8% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sao Paulo
$143
Winona, MN
$280 96.6% $138
Getting Around
Sao Paulo
$58
Winona, MN
$89 52.6% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Sao Paulo
$56
Winona, MN
$80 43.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Sao Paulo and $867 in Winona, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Sao Paulo vs $58.0 in Winona, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $395 per month, with Sao Paulo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Sao Paulo
🇺🇸 Winona, MN
🕒 Local time
02:59 2:59 AM
00:59 12:59 AM
2 h behind Sao Paulo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,451,999
26,533
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sao Paulo Winona, MN 8,800 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sao Paulo
  • Winona, MN

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Winona, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Winona, MN cheaper than Sao Paulo?
Sao Paulo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,833 in Sao Paulo and $2,924 in Winona, MN to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Sao Paulo and Winona, MN?
Rent for a central apartment: $654 in Sao Paulo versus $867 in Winona, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Sao Paulo runs roughly 41% less than in Winona, MN. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $573 in Sao Paulo versus $1,718 in Winona, MN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Sao Paulo or in Winona, MN?
At $1,222 in Sao Paulo versus $1,950 in Winona, MN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sao Paulo but tight or insufficient in Winona, MN. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Paulo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Sao Paulo or Winona, MN more family-friendly?
For families, Sao Paulo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Winona, MN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Sao Paulo or Winona, MN?
Safety-wise, Sao Paulo and Winona, MN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sao Paulo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Winona, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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