São João da Boa Vista vs Tena
Single · Comfortable · $3,000/mo
Tena is approximately 32% less expensive than São João da Boa Vista based on cost of living including rent. This makes Tena a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Tena has a FIRE Score of 85/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 70, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Tena is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
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Best in rowBrazil
São João da Boa Vista
Ecuador
Tena
Estimates from published local prices. N/A means no figure is published for that city.
About these cities
About São João da Boa Vista
São João da Boa Vista is a cheap bet for remote workers who want low overheads and can tolerate limited English and a very few expat community. City centre one-bedroom rent runs $299/mo against a local average net salary of $667/mo, so a comfortable tier at $661/mo leaves little slack unless you earn abroad. The digital nomad score of 60/100 and safety index of 55/100 are middling, and 121 km to VCP means every international trip starts with a long transfer. Come for the $5 restaurant meals and 55 Mbps internet, not for a ready-made social scene.
About Brazil
Retirees with fixed dollar income near the $2,000 VITEM XIV threshold get accessible cost of living (rent under $400) paired with genuine safety risk, a 35.5 safety index that outweigh the cheap rent math. Fine for someone prioritizing budget and expat community over personal security. Bad fit for anyone needing English-language ease, a fast PR pathway, or low-crime peace of mind.
Tena costs roughly 5.1x less than São João da Boa Vista. Beyond cost, the two cities are closely matched — lifestyle fit and visa options are likely the deciding factors. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Tena is approximately 32% less expensive than São João da Boa Vista based on cost of living including rent. This makes Tena a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Tena has a FIRE Score of 85/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 70, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Tena is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About São João da Boa Vista
São João da Boa Vista is a cheap bet for remote workers who want low overheads and can tolerate limited English and a very few expat community. City centre one-bedroom rent runs $299/mo against a local average net salary of $667/mo, so a comfortable tier at $661/mo leaves little slack unless you earn abroad. The digital nomad score of 60/100 and safety index of 55/100 are middling, and 121 km to VCP means every international trip starts with a long transfer. Come for the $5 restaurant meals and 55 Mbps internet, not for a ready-made social scene.
About Brazil
Retirees with fixed dollar income near the $2,000 VITEM XIV threshold get accessible cost of living (rent under $400) paired with genuine safety risk, a 35.5 safety index that outweigh the cheap rent math. Fine for someone prioritizing budget and expat community over personal security. Bad fit for anyone needing English-language ease, a fast PR pathway, or low-crime peace of mind.
$2,551/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Tena
Tena is a cheap, small-town base for expats who want tropical heat without big-city noise, and the numbers back it up: a one-bedroom outside the center runs $150/mo and a single adult can live on roughly $306/mo at the budget tier. The catch is that this is a 30 thousand person town with a small expat community, limited English, and only fair healthcare, so it suits self-sufficient remote workers and budget retirees more than anyone needing hand-holding. The $548/mo digital nomad visa threshold is easy to clear here, and the $1,446/mo Rentista requirement is steep for a place this inexpensive, which tells you the visa is not built for Tena's cost of living. Come for the low rent and 40 Mbps internet, stay only if you genuinely enjoy a quiet, local, Spanish-first life.
About Ecuador
A one-bedroom near the city center runs $372.58 a month, less than a parking spot in most US downtowns, and covers you well below the $1,446 monthly income the Jubilado visa requires. That gap is the whole pitch: cheap, legal, permanent residency within reach on modest Social Security income. But the Safety Index sits at 37.5 with a Safety Index of 37.5, so this works only if you vet neighborhoods hard and skip the flashy expat compounds.
$2,519/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
Which visa fits your move?
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| Metric | São João da Boa Vista | Tena |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $264.71 | $200 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $176.47 | $150 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $529.42 | $250 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $441.18 | $350 |
| Safety Index | 55 | 70 |
| Internet Speed | 55Mbps | 40Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | São João da Boa Vista | Tena |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $450/mo | $481/mo |
| Excluding rent | $274/mo | $331/mo |
| Rent | $176/mo | $150/mo |
| Groceries | $100/mo | $128/mo |
| Dining out | $49.00/mo | $60.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $56.00/mo | $53.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $69.00/mo | $75.00/mo |
| Transport | N/A | $15.00/mo |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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