São Paulo

What you need to know about São Paulo

By Expat Guru Last Updated:

About São Paulo

I live here and I would like to comment on some things that might be different from what you expect: - Walkability: Definitely not great, the city is huge, there are neighborhood where is safe to walk, with interesting stuff to do, but this isn't the case on most places far from west zone (Pinheiros and Vila Madalena) and Paulista avenue. Expect to use public transportation (subway and buses) and uber a lot. - LGBTQ+: Sao Paulo is the state with most homicides against trans people in the whole country. Violence against all LGBTQ+ is surging rampantly, you can search for it, there are some good of articles in English with data. - Hospitals: There are great hospitals here, but they are, as a majority, private and will cost you to use any service. Public hospitals are available, but don't expect English speaking staff or short queues, they are pretty packed (even after midnight). Prices are way off too, in the good and safe neighborhoods, don't expect to pay less that 10USD for a meal in a sit-in restaurant. There are cheaper options, but they will hardly have English speaking staff.

Nomad Guide of São Paulo

Explore São Paulo like a local with our comprehensive nomad guide. Find the best places to work, live, and play, all tailored to the digital nomad lifestyle. Stay connected and make the most of your time in São Paulo with our insider tips and recommendations.

Continent :

Latin America

Country :

brazil

Weather :

25°C + Humidity 85% = 25°C Feel

Internet Speed :

6 Mbps

Insurance :

Safetywing

Air Quality :

15AQI

Best Neighborhood :

Higienópolis

Upcoming Neighborhood :

Jardim Sao Bento

Power :

115V230V60Hz

Average Trip Length :

18 Days

Best Taxi App :

Uber

10 BRL to USD :

$1.94 USD

Tap Water Quality :

No, not drinkable

Visitor per year :

2300000 Visitors

Tourist now :

44079 tourists

Population :

12252023 people

GDP per capita :

$8649 / year

Population Density :

Gender Ratio (Expats) :

H 43% / F 57%

Religious Gouvernment :

Non-religious

Appartement Listing :

Zap

Online electronics shop :

Mercado Livre


Weather in São Paulo

Stay updated on the weather in São Paulo with our reliable data source. Plan ahead for changing conditions and make the most of your time in the city. Check the forecast and stay prepared for any weather events.


Cost of Living in São Paulo

Discover the cost of living in São Paulo with our data source. Compare expenses for housing, food, transportation, and more to make informed decisions about your budget. Stay informed and make the most of your money in São Paulo.

Cost of Living for Expats :

$1,603/mo

Cost of Living for Nomads :

$2,339/mo

Cost of Living for Families :

$3,861/mo

Cost of Living for Local :

$1,103/mo

Cost of coffee :

$1.30

Rent for 1 bedroom :

$924/mo

Dinner:

$11.13

Beer :

$3.73

Coca Cola :

$1.86

Tax for 50k income :

$3,200

Tax for 100k income :

$10,460

Tax for 250k income :

$28,475


Pros and Cons Living in São Paulo

Like many other cities São Paulo have a lot of advantages to offer its residents and visitors, but it also has its fair share of drawbacks. We have made this pros and cons table to help you better vizualize them.

Pros

  • ✅ Lots of fun stuff to do
  • ✅ Warm all year round
  • ✅ Good air quality today
  • ✅ Nomad List members liked going here a lot
  • ✅ Many Nomad List members here all year round
  • ✅ Spacious and not crowded
  • ✅ Easy to make friends
  • ✅ High quality of education
  • ✅ Great hospitals
  • ✅ Democratic
  • ✅ Safe for women
  • ✅ Family friendly
  • ✅ Very friendly to LGBTQ+
  • ✅ Not many people smoke tobacco

Cons

  • ❌ Freedom of speech is weak
  • ❌ Not very safe
  • ❌ Pretty slow internet
  • ❌ Cold now
  • ❌ Very damp now
  • ❌ Difficult to do business
  • ❌ Roads can be dangerous
  • ❌ People don't speak English well

Quality of Life in São Paulo

No Data for now.


Visa Requirements in São Paulo

No Data for now.


Security and Crime in São Paulo

Stay informed on security and crime in São Paulo with updated information on crime rates, types of crimes and measures being taken. Ensure personal safety by staying informed and taking steps to protect yourself and loved ones. Help keep São Paulo safe.

020406080100

Medium Crime rate

020406080100

Normal Security Index


Polution and Air Quality in São Paulo

Stay informed about the air quality and pollution levels in São Paulo. Our data source provides up-to-date information on various pollutants and their effects on health and the environment. By monitoring the air quality in São Paulo, you can take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from the harmful effects of pollution.

Similar cities to São Paulo

Discover cities that are similar to São Paulo in terms of attractions and amenities. Our hand-picked list includes locations with similar cultural settings, recreational activities, and high-quality lodgings. These cities are worth visiting if you're looking for a place with a similar atmosphere or just a change of scenery. Plan your next urban journey by visiting these similar cities.

Trending

Concrete Structure

Berlin

Germany

#6

Air Quality
Good
wifi

36

Mbps

FEELS 21°

21°

$3,637/mo

Trending

People Standing on Road Beside Market and High-rise Buildings

Buenos Aires

Argentina

#18

Air Quality
Unhealthy
wifi

4

Mbps

FEELS 18°

18°

$2,143/mo

Trending

Gray Concrete Building Near Palm Trees

Bangkok

Thailand

#4

Air Quality
Moderate
wifi

17

Mbps

FEELS 33°

29°

$1,895/mo

Trending

Photo of People Riding on City Tram

Lisbon

Portugal

#1

Air Quality
Good
wifi

29

Mbps

FEELS 22°

22°

$3,367/mo

Trending

Green and Brown Building Near Body of Water

Amsterdam

Netherlands

#141

Air Quality
Good
wifi

14

Mbps

FEELS 15°

15°

$6,366/mo

Trending

Grayscale Photo of a Concrete Building

Barcelona

Spain

#75

Air Quality
Good
wifi

39

Mbps

FEELS 23°

23°

$4,295/mo

Trending

Brown and Black Concrete Building

Prague

Czechia

#140

Air Quality
Moderate
wifi

20

Mbps

FEELS 19°

18°

$2,286/mo

Trending

Budapest

Budapest

Hungary

#23

Air Quality
Moderate
wifi

30

Mbps

FEELS 20°

19°

$2,078/mo

Cities near São Paulo to visit

There are several cities and places close to São Paulo worth your visit. In addition to sightseeing in São Paulo, spare some time to discover the surroundings of the city.
You can discover Florianopolis, Curitiba, Campinas, Belo Horizonte, and Sorocaba, who are a few kilometres away either by car or public transport.

Trending

Aerial Photography of Beach

Florianopolis

Brazil

#188

Air Quality
Good
wifi

3

Mbps

FEELS 22°

22°

$2,532/mo

Trending

Low Angle Photography Of A Church

Curitiba

Brazil

#390

Air Quality
Good
wifi

6

Mbps

FEELS 21°

21°

$1,410/mo

Trending

Photo Of People Gathering Together

Campinas

Brazil

#503

Air Quality
Good
wifi

6

Mbps

FEELS 30°

27°

$1,617/mo

Trending

Photo Of Man Reading Book

Belo Horizonte

Brazil

#624

Air Quality
Good
wifi

8

Mbps

FEELS 28°

27°

$1,465/mo

Trending

Blue and White High Rise Building

Sorocaba

Brazil

#849

Air Quality
Good
wifi

7

Mbps

FEELS 29°

26°

$1,997/mo

Trending

Blue and White High Rise Building

Uberlandia

Brazil

#738

Air Quality
Good
wifi

6

Mbps

FEELS 31°

30°

$1,468/mo

Trending

Blue and White High Rise Building

Itapema

Brazil

#853

Air Quality
Good
wifi

5

Mbps

FEELS 22°

22°

$2,342/mo

Reviews of São Paulo - Feedback from travelers

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Discussion (8)

0

I live here and I would like to comment on some things that might be different from what you expect:- Walkability: Definitely not great, the city is huge, there are neighborhood where is safe to walk, with interesting stuff to do, but this isn't the case on most places far from west zone (Pinheiros and Vila Madalena) and Paulista avenue. Expect to use public transportation (subway and buses) and uber a lot. - LGBTQ+: Sao Paulo is the state with most homicides against trans people in the whole country. Violence against all LGBTQ+ is surging rampantly, you can search for it, there are some good of articles in English with data. - Hospitals: There are great hospitals here, but they are, as a majority, private and will cost you to use any service. Public hospitals are available, but don't expect English speaking staff or short queues, they are pretty packed (even after midnight).Prices are way off too, in the good and safe neighborhoods, don't expect to pay less that 10USD for a meal in a sit-in restaurant. There are cheaper options, but they will hardly have English speaking staff.

0

Sao Paulo is a place of high contrasts. Massive buildings, roads, and road rage co-exist with peaceful parks, fantastic skies, and very kind locals. Before you go, make sure you have the right expectations because this place is the South American equivalent of LA or NYC. It is absurdly different from Rio as far as the activities and landscape. Some of my favorite things are the 20,000+ restaurants and bars, people watching (more contrast), free art museums and attractions, and the fantastic co-working spaces (not cheap, but some very well designed). On September 2021, 1 dollar buys 5.19 reais (local currency). One of the reviews mentions cold but this Spring, the temperatures are hitting 95-100F consistently. It may get "cold" there about 5 days a year.

0

I like São Paulo, but I don't love it. It's pretty boring in my opinion. Probably because I love Buenos Aires so much and it just does not compare. Also for the 4 months (September - January) I was there, it was cold, overcast, and rainy 85% of the days. It was pretty depressing!Other than that, it's pretty safe overall for Latin America. Also, I really appreciate how people here take COVID more seriously than in a lot of other places in Brazil.If I had to do it again, I would stay near Ibirapuera Park - it's so beautiful.

0

A particularly interesting city to make business (Brazil is the strongest economy in Latin America). I recommend learning some basic Portuguese to really network and connect with the people; Brazilians might party openly with foreigners, but reserve the most interesting parts of their culture to Portuguese speakers.

0

Sao Paulo is a great city, one of the biggest in the world and has everything you'll ever need. Compare it with New York without all the glamour and you have it

0

Never written a review before but I've been to most of the top cities on Nomadlist and they're all pretty good.... however, Sao Paolo is a fine city, typical for Latin America, but it doesn't belong at #7 (as of this writing) :) There's just nothing especially interesting about it compared to other cities.

0

Greatest city to be a nomad in Brazil by far. Low crime rate when compared to Rio, 4G works great in a lot of places and what you can have the most is fun here. Cost of living can be a little too high if you don't pick carefully a place, but people are friendly and help you to find the perfect place. Ah, and food here is delicious, even if you're a vegan.