Brasília vs São Paulo

São Paulo leads Brasília by 8 points on the TRAIL Index, 69 to 61. Brasília grades better on 3 measures, São Paulo on 7; the same 37 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• TRAIL Index: Brasília 61, São Paulo 69
• OECD: Brasília 60, São Paulo 68
• UN Tourism: Brasília 63, São Paulo 72
• UNDRR: Brasília 51, São Paulo 55

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Brasília 60, São Paulo 75
• Economy and jobs: Brasília 58, São Paulo 75
• Climate and hazards: Brasília 60, São Paulo 60
• Water and environment: Brasília 69, São Paulo 81
• Community and housing: Brasília 83, São Paulo 75
• Access and continuity: Brasília 46, São Paulo 50

Where Brasília is stronger

• Flood hazard: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Rent growth: 6.4 % change in rents over the last 12 months (Fipe / DataZAP, Índice FipeZAP de Locação Residencial, 2025). Between 6 and 10: grade 2/4.
• Short-let density: 0.3 short-term rental listings per 100 dwellings (AirDNA & IBGE Censo Demográfico 2022, 2026). At or below 0.5: grade 4/4.

Where São Paulo is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 15.7 % of international arrivals or nights (region figure) (Embratur / Ministério do Turismo via Revista Veja, 2025). Between 15 and 20: grade 3/4.
• Average length of stay: 3.8 nights per visitor (Secretaria Municipal de Relações Internacionais / Observatório de Turismo e Eventos da SPTuris, 2024). At or above 3.5: grade 4/4.
• Unemployment rate: 5 % of the labour force (region figure) (IBGE - Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios Contínua (PNAD Contínua), 2025). At or below 5: grade 4/4.
• Tropical nights: 26.8 nights a year with a minimum at or above 20°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 10 and 30: grade 3/4.
• Water scarcity: low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 3/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 295.3 kg per resident per year (Preprints.org / SP Regula, 'Have There Been Advances in the Recycling of Household Solid Waste?', 2024). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Secretaria Municipal de Turismo de São Paulo / SciELO, 2023–2026). Grade 1/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Brazil: #32 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Brazil: #32 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Brasília in full · São Paulo in full

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