São Paulo vs Lima

💰
Lima saves you $300/month
📶
São Paulo has 2x faster internet
🌡️
Subtropical vs Desert climate
🛂
Brazil offers a digital nomad visa

💰 Cost of Living Breakdown

Monthly expenses comparison in USD

Expense
São Paulo
Lima
Total Budget
$1,400/mo
$1,100/mo
Rent (1BR)
$700/mo
$550/mo
Coworking
$180/mo
$180/mo
Meal Out
$4
$4
Coffee
$3
$2.5
Lima is $300/mo cheaper (27% savings)

💻 Remote Work Essentials

Internet, timezone, and language comparison

🇧🇷 São Paulo
📶 Internet150 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-3
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West6h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London8h
🇩🇪 Berlin7h
🇵🇪 Lima
📶 Internet80 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-5
🗣️ Englishlow
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London6h
🇩🇪 Berlin5h

🌡️ Climate Comparison

Weather patterns and best times to visit

São Paulo

ClimateSubtropical
Avg Temp20°C
Rainy Days150/year
Best months: September, May, July, August

Lima

ClimateDesert
Avg Temp20°C
Rainy Days12/year
Best months: January, March, April, February

Quarterly Temperatures

Jan
22°22°
Apr
20°22°
Jul
16°17°
Oct
20°18°
São PauloLima

📊 Full Comparison

Category
🇧🇷São Paulo
🇵🇪Lima
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,400
$1,100
Winner
📶
Internet Speed
150 Mbps
Winner
80 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
3.5/5
3.2/5
Nomad Score
4/10
3.8/10
🍽️
Food Scene
10/10
9/10
🎉
Nightlife
9/10
Winner
7/10
🚶
Walkability
5/10
7/10
Winner
👥
Community
large
Winner
medium
3
São Paulo wins
vs
2
Lima wins

Which City is Right for You?

Recommendations based on your nomad style

💵Budget Nomad
Lima

$300/mo cheaper with similar quality of life

💻Developer
São Paulo

150 Mbps is essential for video calls & uploads

🦋Social Butterfly
São Paulo

Larger nomad community for networking

🛡️Safety-First
Either works

Both cities are similarly safe

🍜Foodie
Either works

Both have great food scenes

🎉Party Person
São Paulo

World-famous nightlife scene

🇧🇷São Paulo

Pros
  • +Economic and cultural capital of South America with endless opportunities
  • +World-class food scene with 12,000+ restaurants from 50+ cuisines
  • +Excellent fiber internet with speeds up to 200 Mbps widely available
  • +Thriving startup ecosystem with innovation hubs like Cubo Itaú
Cons
  • City is massive and not walkable requiring constant use of transport
  • Traffic congestion is severe making rush hour commutes frustrating
  • Weather is unpredictable with cold rainy periods during winter
  • Safety requires awareness especially outside affluent neighborhoods

🇵🇪Lima

Pros
  • +World-renowned gastronomy capital
  • +Very affordable cost of living
  • +Rich colonial history and museums
  • +Safe tourist neighborhoods like Miraflores
Cons
  • Gloomy grey skies most of the year
  • Phone theft and petty crime concerns
  • Traffic congestion and constant honking
  • Spanish essential outside tourist areas

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