São Paulo metro area cost of living climbs 0.57% in May

The Cost of Living by Social Class index for the São Paulo Metropolitan Region rose 0.57% in May 2026, accelerating 0.44% from April. Over the past 12 months the index is up 5.26% and 3.12% for the first five months of the year.

Housing contributed the most with a 1.27% increase, while residential electricity bills jumped 3.69%, sharply affecting lower‑income households. Food prices also rose, led by tomatoes (+25.3%), potatoes (+31.2%), onions (+11.3%) and carrots (+8.3%). Prices of beans and meats added further pressure. Health expenditures grew 0.94%, and personal‑expense services such as hotels (+3.9%) and night‑clubs (+2.7%) rose 0.73%.

Transport costs fell 0.21% as fuel prices declined (ethanol ‑7.5%, diesel ‑1.9%, gasoline ‑0.6%). However, airline ticket prices increased 7% due to higher kerosene costs, passing costs onto consumers. The broad inflationary trend suggests continued strain on family budgets, especially for the lowest‑income classes.