Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulyanovsk and Sao Paulo

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulyanovsk: $886 a month against $1,235 in Sao Paulo, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Ulyanovsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$886
/mo nomad
Sao Paulo
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,235
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulyanovsk and in Sao Paulo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $886 in Ulyanovsk versus $1,235 in Sao Paulo.

  • Ulyanovsk $886
  • Sao Paulo $1,235

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,363 in Ulyanovsk versus $2,073 in Sao Paulo.

  • Ulyanovsk $1,363
  • Sao Paulo $2,073

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,840 in Ulyanovsk versus $2,911 in Sao Paulo.

  • Ulyanovsk $1,840
  • Sao Paulo $2,911

Living in Ulyanovsk costs roughly 28% less than in Sao Paulo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ulyanovsk 34% lower, Sao Paulo 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.26 ₽690
$8.81 R$44.68
-6.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.69 ₽2,478
$49.37 R$250
-39.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.32 ₽528
$8.80 R$44.63
-28.18%
Cappuccino
$2.27 ₽190
$2.49 R$12.63
-8.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₽75.3
$1.42 R$7.19
-36.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 ₽29.18
$0.85 R$4.31
-58.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.81 ₽151
$2.98 R$15.11
-39.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 ₽162
$4.34 R$22.02
-55.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 ₽85.4
$1.24 R$6.28
-17.74%
White Bread (500g)
$0.58 ₽48.04
$1.91 R$9.66
-69.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.04 ₽86.5
$1.43 R$7.25
-27.27%
Eggs
$1.40 ₽117
$2.81 R$14.23
-50.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.19 ₽1,184
$12.74 R$64.6
11.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.26 ₽606
$5.41 R$27.44
34.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.26 ₽606
$10.64 R$54.0
-31.77%
Apples (1kg)
$1.52 ₽127
$2.75 R$13.95
-44.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 ₽126
$1.81 R$9.19
-16.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.91 ₽326
$1.63 R$8.27
139.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.60 ₽384
$2.00 R$10.16
130.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ₽122
$1.40 R$7.10
4.29%
Onion (1kg)
$0.82 ₽68.3
$1.27 R$6.43
-35.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.28 R$6.47
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₽46.50
$0.95 R$4.83
-41.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.04 ₽254
$2.99 R$15.15
1.67%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$9.96 R$50.5
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 ₽90.9
$1.85 R$9.37
-41.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.54 R$12.90
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.43 ₽36.28
$1.09 R$5.50
-60.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$48.78 R$247
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 ₽294
$1.85 R$9.39
90.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.99 R$4.99
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 ₽304
$10.29 R$52.2
-64.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 ₽68.9
$1.34 R$6.78
-38.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$24.4K R$123.8K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K ₽2.2M
$33.9K R$172.1K
-23.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$139 ₽11.6K
$104 R$529
32.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.73 ₽395
$16.71 R$84.7
-71.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.72 ₽1,145
$22.18 R$112
-38.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.45 ₽3,042
$35.82 R$182
1.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.86 ₽2,075
$47.28 R$240
-47.42%
Cinema Ticket
$8.30 ₽693
$10.06 R$51.0
-17.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$579 R$2,936
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$17.1K R$86.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$30.11 ₽2,513
$65.7 R$333
-54.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.99 ₽3,004
$61.0 R$309
-41.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.4 ₽7,875
$100 R$509
-6.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.3 ₽4,951
$92.1 R$467
-35.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$360 ₽30.0K
$659 R$3,341
-45.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$241 ₽20.1K
$428 R$2,170
-43.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$469 ₽39.1K
$1,515 R$7,678
-69.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$423 ₽35.3K
$1,026 R$5,201
-58.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,609 ₽217.8K
$2,773 R$14.1K
-5.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,463 ₽122.1K
$2,007 R$10.2K
-27.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ulyanovsk
Sao Paulo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$504 ₽42.1K
$909 R$4,609
-44.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
23
11.68
96.92%

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

Last update for Ulyanovsk: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sao Paulo: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ulyanovsk
$241
Sao Paulo
$428 77.7% $187
Groceries & Markets
Ulyanovsk
$200 *
Sao Paulo
$244 22.2% $44
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ulyanovsk
$157
Sao Paulo
$143 8.9% $14
Eating Out
Ulyanovsk
$130
Sao Paulo
$159 22.4% $29
Clothing & Footwear
Ulyanovsk
$99
Sao Paulo
$144 45.2% $45
Sport & Entertainment
Ulyanovsk
$53
Sao Paulo
$56 5.4% $2.9
Getting Around
Ulyanovsk
$5.3 *
Sao Paulo
$60 1037% $55

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $360 in Ulyanovsk and $659 in Sao Paulo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Paulo pays 80% 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: $30.00 in Ulyanovsk vs $49.00 in Sao Paulo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $244 per month, with Ulyanovsk cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Ulyanovsk
🇧🇷 Sao Paulo
🕒 Local time
10:28 10:28 AM
03:28 3:28 AM
7 h behind Ulyanovsk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
627,705
11,451,999
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ulyanovsk Sao Paulo 12,430 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ulyanovsk
  • Sao Paulo

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Ulyanovsk vs Sao Paulo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sao Paulo cheaper than Ulyanovsk?
Ulyanovsk is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ulyanovsk or Sao Paulo?
On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Sao Paulo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Ulyanovsk and Sao Paulo?
Rent for a central apartment: $360 in Ulyanovsk versus $659 in Sao Paulo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Ulyanovsk and in Sao Paulo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Sao Paulo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Ulyanovsk or in Sao Paulo?
Dining out is cheaper in Ulyanovsk – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $49.00 in Sao Paulo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Ulyanovsk or in Sao Paulo?
At $886 in Ulyanovsk versus $1,235 in Sao Paulo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulyanovsk but tight or insufficient in Sao Paulo. The gap between the two cities makes Ulyanovsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ulyanovsk or Sao Paulo more family-friendly?
For families, Ulyanovsk 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ulyanovsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Sao Paulo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ulyanovsk vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?