Find out the average cost of living in São Paulo
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With inflation exceeding 10% in the last year in Brazil, it is difficult for the average cost of living in the city of São Paulo , the largest in the country, not to suffer an impact.
This is because one of the things that became most expensive was fuel.
And Brazil, a country that depends almost entirely on road freight transport, sees this reflected in practically all products.
But don’t worry, you’ll also find some tips here to help you make the best value for money choices in the city!
Collaborative data
To find out about the cost of living in São Paulo based on some very important areas, we will rely on the help of the websites Custo de Vida and Expatistan.
Both work collaboratively and show the average value of various products and services in cities with the help of residents. The data in this article is from March 2022.
One of the most reliable sources of this data is the Inter-Union Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies (Dieese).
However, the Department halted field research in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so we will not use the data here.
Food
Taking an average between the two sites, we will know the prices of a simple lunch - meal and drink - and some supermarket items.
In a cheap restaurant in the capital, lunch can cost around R$25. Also for one person, in a more expensive restaurant, it would cost on average R$90.
If you want some of the best options for eating well and cheaply, here we have a really cool list .
When talking about supermarkets, a liter of milk costs on average R$4, five kilos of rice R$23, a kilo of beans R$7, half a kilo of chicken R$11 and half a kilo of cheese R$22.
Transport
With the rise in fuel prices, gasoline is now around R$8 per liter in some places.
A bus or subway ticket costs R$4.40 in the city. In a taxi, a kilometer can cost around R$2.50.
App-based transportation is more difficult to calculate due to dynamic pricing, with the price changing according to the day of the week and time.
Leisure
Some of the most common activities, such as going to a nightclub or the cinema, cost an average of R$50 for entry (for the 3D cinema).
To watch a national show, the average cost is R$120 per person. To watch a football match, R$76.
A bottle of long neck beer costs around R$10, as does a pint of draft beer. A drink, on average, costs R$25.
And here we have several options for very cheap bars in the Center!
Housing and general costs
According to the websites, the cost of housing is around R$5,000 in a prime area, per person.
In a cheaper neighborhood, like downtown for example , it could be around R$1500.
But the cost can be significantly reduced in a shared apartment or a shared house. Find out more here.
According to the websites, the average cost of living for a single person in the capital is R$5,500 per month.
Want to know more about the subject? Visit our Blog and find out everything that’s going on in the city center and tips on renting and coliving in São Paulo!