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Minneapolis vs São Paulo

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Minneapolis, MN vs São Paulo, BR at a glance — São Paulo, BR is 43% cheaper than Minneapolis, MN overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $650/mo versus $1,450/mo. Top income tax: 27.5% vs 37%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in São Paulo, BR, you'd need

$42,823 / year

São Paulo, BR is 43% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (São Paulo, BR vs Minneapolis, MN)

  • Housing-50%
  • Food & groceries-46%
  • Transport-51%
  • Utilities-32%
  • Healthcare-43%
  • Goods & services-34%

◎ How Minneapolis, MN and São Paulo, BR compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Minneapolis, MNSão Paulo, BR

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Minneapolis, MNSão Paulo, BR
Cost of living
Overall cost index10459
Housing10955
Food10155
Transport10350
Utilities9665
Healthcare10560
Goods & services10368
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,450/mo$650/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,150/mo$420/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,600/mo$1,300/mo
Buy price / m² centre$3,800$2,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$960$1,682
Inexpensive meal$18$8
Monthly transit pass$96$45
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%27.5%
VAT / sales tax0%17%
Social security (employee)7.7%—
Corporate tax21%34%
Capital gains20%—
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$600/mo
Avg annual wage (OECD, PPP)$86,977✓—
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$280/mo
GDP per capita$90,027✓$10,296✓
Inflation (annual)—4.5%✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoYes
English proficiencyNativeLow
Coworking spaces4050
Time zoneUTC-6UTC-3
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6554
Safety index5540
Healthcare index8265
Pollution index3560
Internet speed200 Mbps150 Mbps
Walkability7060
Public transport5868
Family-friendly7055
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo—
Life expectancy79 yr✓76 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg-8 °C+23 °C
July avg+23 °C+16 °C
Sunny days / year198150
Rainfall / year800 mm1,450 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h2 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs Brazil. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (OECD (PPP), US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Minneapolis vs São Paulo — in your currency

MinneapolisSão Paulo
1-bed rent, city centre$1,450$650
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,150$420
Inexpensive meal$18$8
Monthly transit pass$96$45
Utilities (monthly)$160$70

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Minneapolis

High quality of life, strong jobs and lakes everywhere — winters are seriously cold.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ -8°C · ☀ 23°C · 198 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
North Loop · Uptown · Northeast

Good to know before you move to São Paulo

Latin America's financial and cultural engine — the region's best job market, restaurants and nightlife, spread across an endless skyline. Big-city upside offset by traffic, sprawl and sharp inequality.

Currency
Brazilian real (R$ BRL)
Languages
Portuguese
Time zone
UTC-3
Internet
150 Mbps
English
Rarely spoken
Safety
40/100
Climate
❄ 23°C · ☀ 16°C · 150 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
N/C · 127V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Vila Madalena · Pinheiros · Jardins · Itaim Bibi

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Minneapolis to São Paulo: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Minneapolis to São Paulo, your cost of living will be roughly 43% cheaper. São Paulo’s cost-of-living index is 59 versus 104 for Minneapolis (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Minneapolis cheaper than São Paulo?

São Paulo is about 43% cheaper than Minneapolis overall — its cost-of-living index is 59 versus 104 for Minneapolis.

Which is more expensive, Minneapolis or São Paulo?

Minneapolis is more expensive than São Paulo. Its cost-of-living index is 104 vs 59 (US = 100) — about 76% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Minneapolis or São Paulo?

Rent is cheaper in São Paulo — about $650/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,450 in Minneapolis.

How much do you need to earn in São Paulo to live like in Minneapolis?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Minneapolis is worth about $42,823 in São Paulo. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Minneapolis or São Paulo?

Brazil has the lower top income-tax rate — 27.5% versus 37% in United States.

◷ More comparisons from Minneapolis

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.