Cost of Living: New York vs Brazil (São Paulo, Manaus)
How expensive is Brazil compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and BRL — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- São Paulo, Manaus
- Price level vs US average
- 46.2 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 5.587 BRL
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 2.581 BRL
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Brazil’s national average. Major cities — especially São Paulo — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Brazil cheaper than New York?
Yes. Brazil is 59% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 41, New York = 100).
What salary in Brazil equals $100,000 in New York?
About $41,046 a year (about R$229,337 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Brazil as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is São Paulo more expensive than Brazil’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Brazil’s national average price level; large cities such as São Paulo, Manaus typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.