If you want to see what a city of 20 million people looks like, São Paulo might be one of your better choices. The (slightly) inland location of this monstrous metropolitan area helps keep many international tourists away, but it’s a fascinating place and one of the richest cities in the Southern Hemisphere.
As rich as it may be, São Paulo is also known for having a huge economic underclass as well. This contributes to the fact that there is a huge range in prices here for almost everything, including hotels and restaurants. You can find very affordable hotels and hostels as long as you aren’t too picky, yet the top end places cost a fortune.
Food and drinks are similar in that it won’t be a challenge to find affordable eats, including many Asian choices served up by the large diaspora here. But hotel restaurants and fancy places will not be cheap, so it pays to do some research if your budget is modest.
