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City in Brazil

São Paulo

São Paulo is Brazil's largest municipality, with 11.45 million residents in the 2022 census. The Federal Police runs a migration unit (DELEMIG) in the city, Graded - The American School of São Paulo serves an international community, and InterNations, a private network, lists about 34,000 members here. [N1] [P1] [São Paulo S1] [I1]

Country
Brazil
Population
11,451,999 in 2022. Município de São Paulo, 2022 census (IBGE); not the wider metropolitan area. [N1]
Settings
In a city [N1]
Weather
Warm all year, Mild, never too hot [W1]

Why it is here

Why São Paulo is on the list.

A city is listed when there is evidence that people move there. This is the evidence.

  • São Paulo has 11,451,999 residents in the 2022 census, the 1st-largest of Brazil's 5,570 municipalities, above the 500,000 line for a major metro. [N1] [N2]
  • InterNations (a private expat network) lists 34,103 members in São Paulo. [I1]
  • The Federal Police runs its migration unit (DELEMIG) for the state at its Superintendência in São Paulo, open 08:30 to 17:30 on weekdays. [P1]
  • Graded - The American School of São Paulo describes itself as a pre-kindergarten through grade 12 American school serving an international community. [São Paulo S1]

The Fernshore Index

How it grades, factor by factor.

Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.

The country

More on Brazil.

Cities

Other cities in Brazil.

Questions about São Paulo.

How big is São Paulo?

São Paulo had 11,451,999 residents in the 2022 census, the largest of Brazil's 5,570 municipalities. That counts the municipality only, not the wider metropolitan area.

Censo Demográfico 2022: População residente, São Paulo, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE); Censo Demográfico 2022: População residente (tabela 4714), Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Checked 15 October 2026

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What is the weather like in São Paulo?

At the Mirante de Santana station, São Paulo has 8 comfortable months a year, April to November (highs of 18 to 30 °C, under 150 mm of rain; INMET 1991 to 2020). Highs run 22.9 to 29.0 °C. January, February, March and December have 150 mm of rain or more; January averages 292.1 mm.

Normal Climatológica do Brasil 1991-2020: Temperatura Máxima Mensal e Anual (°C), Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária; Normal Climatológica do Brasil 1991-2020: Precipitação Acumulada Mensal e Anual (mm), Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária. Checked 15 October 2026

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What do rents look like in São Paulo?

FipeZAP put São Paulo's average asking rent for ready apartments at R$62.56 a square metre in December 2025, 2nd of the 22 capitals it follows and up 7.98% in 12 months. One furnished 37 m² studio in Pinheiros asked R$3,248 a month, plus condominium fee and property tax. FipeZAP is a private index of asking prices.

FipeZAP residential rental index, December 2025, Fipe and Grupo OLX (private index, not official); Furnished one-bedroom studio, Pinheiros, São Paulo, QuintoAndar (private rental portal). Checked 15 October 2026

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How safe is São Paulo for someone moving there?

Canada's advice lists São Paulo among places with high crime rates. Tourists are mostly affected by theft, but violent crime often occurs around the cathedral, Avenida Paulista, the historical downtown and Luz station, and drive-by snatching by motorcycle is regular. City-level crime figures are unknown here.

Brazil travel advice and advisories, Government of Canada (travel.gc.ca); Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026

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Where do I register with the Federal Police in São Paulo?

The Federal Police migration unit (DELEMIG) for the state is at its Superintendência in São Paulo, open 8:30 to 17:30 on weekdays; migrant registration cards (CRNM) are handed out from 9:00 to 17:00. Temporary visa holders must apply to register within 90 days of entering. Check hours before you go.

Superintendência Regional em São Paulo (SR/PF/SP), Polícia Federal; Decree 9.199/2017 (regulation of the Migration Law): articles 20 and 64, Presidency of the Republic (planalto.gov.br). Checked 15 October 2026

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Is there an expat community and an international school in São Paulo?

InterNations, a private expat network, lists 34,103 members in São Paulo; that is the network's own count, not a census. Graded, the American School of São Paulo, describes itself as a pre-kindergarten to grade 12 school serving an international community. Other schools are not covered here.

Expats in São Paulo, InterNations (expat network, private); Home, Graded - The American School of São Paulo. Checked 15 October 2026

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Sources

Where each figure comes from.

Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.

  1. [N1] Censo Demográfico 2022: População residente, São Paulo, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Checked 15 October 2026. 11,451,999 residents of the município in the 2022 census (IBGE data API, table 4714, variable 93), read on 15 October 2026. The figure counts the municipality, not its metropolitan area.
  2. [P1] Superintendência Regional em São Paulo (SR/PF/SP), Polícia Federal. Checked 15 October 2026. Lists the Delegacia de Polícia de Migração (DELEMIG) at the Superintendência in São Paulo: open 08:30 to 17:30, Monday to Friday except holidays; telephone (11) 3538-5234. Migrant registration cards (CRNM) are handed out there from 09:00 to 17:00.
  3. [São Paulo S1] Home, Graded - The American School of São Paulo. Checked 15 October 2026. The school's own site: "Graded is a pre-kindergarten through grade 12 American school serving an international community".
  4. [I1] Expats in São Paulo, InterNations (expat network, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Page shows 34,103 members in São Paulo on 15 October 2026. A private network's own count: members are not all residents, and it is not a census.
  5. [W1] Normal Climatológica do Brasil 1991-2020: Temperatura Máxima Mensal e Anual (°C), Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária. Checked 15 October 2026. Station 83781 SAO PAULO (MIR. DE SANTANA) (the station the city grade uses). The maximum temperature normal, read as the average daily high, January to December: 28.6, 29.0, 28.0, 26.6, 23.4, 22.9, 22.9, 24.5, 25.2, 26.5, 26.9, 28.3 °C. The clima.inmet.gov.br site refused automated access, so the normals were read from the spreadsheets published on portal.inmet.gov.br.
  6. [N2] Censo Demográfico 2022: População residente (tabela 4714), Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). Checked 15 October 2026. São Paulo has the 1st-largest 2022 population of the 5,570 municipalities (11,451,999), counted from the full table read through the IBGE data API on 15 October 2026.
  7. [C1] Price level index (GDP), Brazil, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 45.72 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026. The data.worldbank.org indicator page did not open for scripts on 15 October 2026 (HTTP 502 or timeout).
  8. [W2] Normal Climatológica do Brasil 1991-2020: Precipitação Acumulada Mensal e Anual (mm), Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INMET), Ministério da Agricultura e Pecuária. Checked 15 October 2026. Station 83781 SAO PAULO (MIR. DE SANTANA). Monthly rain, January to December: 292.1, 257.7, 229.1, 87.0, 66.3, 59.7, 48.4, 32.3, 83.3, 127.2, 143.9, 231.3 mm. Months with a high of 18 to 30 °C and under 150 mm of rain: April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November (8).
  9. [Brazil S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Brazil ranks 124th of 163 countries (score 2.333).
  10. [H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Brazil: 84 out of 100 (2023), read from the WHO GHO API (indicator UHC_INDEX_REPORTED) on 15 October 2026.
  11. [Q1] Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Brazil ranks 4th of 31 countries. The page text: "Brazil (4th), which ranks in the top 5 for every single factor of the index".
  12. [Q2] Expat Insider 2026: Quality of Life, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Brazil ranks 23rd of 31 countries in the Quality of Life Index. The page text says Brazil "delights with its Leisure Options (3rd)" but ranks second to last for personal safety.
  13. [K1] Resolução Normativa CNIg/MJSP nº 45, de 9 de setembro de 2021: visto temporário e autorização de residência para o nômade digital, Conselho Nacional de Imigração (CNIg), Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública (Portal de Imigração Laboral). Checked 15 October 2026. Art. 1 §1: a digital nomad is an immigrant who can do their work in Brazil remotely, with information and communication technologies, for a foreign employer. Art. 5 III: proof of means from a foreign paying source of US$1,500 a month or more, or bank funds of at least US$18,000. Arts. 3 and 4: initial residence of up to one year. Art. 6: the residence can be renewed for the same period. Art. 2: the activity can also be done as a visitor, under the stay and visa rules for the person's nationality. This is the temporary visa the consulates call VITEM XIV. Whether the resolution has been changed since was not checked.
  14. [K2] Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Brazil, International Telecommunication Union, via the World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2024: 24.08 per 100 people, read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026. The data.worldbank.org indicator page did not open for scripts on 15 October 2026 (HTTP 502 or timeout).
  15. [R1] Resolução Normativa CNIg nº 40, de 2 de outubro de 2019: visto temporário e autorização de residência com base em aposentadoria e/ou pensão por morte, Conselho Nacional de Imigração (CNIg), Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública (Portal de Imigração Laboral). Checked 15 October 2026. Art. 1: a temporary visa for a retiree or death-pension beneficiary who proves a monthly transfer to Brazil of US$2,000 or more in foreign currency. Art. 3 III: other regular income can top up the amount. Art. 3 and art. 4 sole paragraphs: initial residence of up to two years. Art. 5: renewal is set by a separate normative resolution, which was not located, so whether and when this residence can become permanent was not confirmed. The text states no minimum age and no deposit.
  16. [R2] Visto Temporário XIV: Aposentadoria ou Pensão, Ministério das Relações Exteriores (Consulado-Geral em Faro). Checked 15 October 2026. Names "Resolução Normativa nº40/2019 do CNIg" and asks applicants to show a monthly transfer to Brazil of US$2,000 or more. The page gives no validity, initial stay or permanent-residence information.
  17. [R3] VITEM XIV: transfer of retirement/pension, Ministério das Relações Exteriores (Embaixada em Viena). Checked 15 October 2026. The visa is valid for up to 1 year; the initial period of stay is up to 2 years; holders register with the Federal Police within 90 days of first entry; proof of a monthly transfer of US$2,000 or more.
  18. [F1] EF English Proficiency Index: Brazil, EF Education First (private test-taker index). Checked 15 October 2026. Score 482, global rank 75 (the page shows a global average of 488 and "16pt on previous score", with no direction given). The page does not print its edition year; it is the live country page read on 15 October 2026.

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