Sao Paulo is the economic center of Brazil (and arguably South America), but in no way does that mean that it should continue to play second-fiddle to it’s more glamorous brother Rio De Janeiro.
Sao Paulo is a massive metropolis with a lifetime’s worth of sights and foods (and parties) that would make any backpacker salivate.
But with thousands of accommodation choices, it can be difficult to decide which hostel to stay in. Which is exactly why I wrote this article about the best hostels in Sao Paulo.
I’ve gone ahead and looked at the best hostels in Sao Paulo, and organized them by varying travel needs, so you can quickly find your hostel, and focus on what’s important – exploring Sao Paulo (and drinking caipirinhas!)
Quick answer: The best hostels in Sao Paulo
- Best Party Hostel in Sao Paulo – O de Casa
- Best Cheap Hostel in Sao Paulo – Did’s Hostel
- Best Hostel for Couples in Sao Paulo – Conforto MADA Hostel
- Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Sao Paulo – Villa Hostel
How I chose the best hostels in Sao Paulo
During my backpacking Brazil trip, I stayed at hostels most of the time, simply because it’s a lot cheaper and you meet so many incredible people from all over the world.
The ‘best’ hostel means different things to different people. For some people, it’s the cheapest hostel available. For some people, it’s the craziest and best party hostel in Sao Paulo. Some people need a place to work, some couples just want a quiet, private room. Whatever your needs are, I organized this article to help you find the hostel of your dreams, so you can book with confidence.
There were a few other things, in particular, I also took into consideration…
- Location – By land mass and population standards, Sao Paulo ginormous. Sao Paulo is the 30th largest city in the world by area and while the public transit isn’t terrible, it isn’t spectacular. This means it might be advantageous to research the different neighborhoods in Sao Paulo, and try and stay somewhere semi-close to the sights you wanna see.
- Price – Sao Paulo isn’t cheap. Brazil is an expensive place to travel, and that high cost is reflected in the accommodation prices.
- Amenities – While not bursting with freebies, you’ll find plenty of free breakfast, free towels and some free shots! Try and take advantage of freebies. They can add up.
The 11 Best Hostels in Sao Paulo
Whatever your groove, finding the ideal hostel in Sao Paulo has just become a whole lot easier. Check through the best hostels in Sao Paulo, helpfully split into different types, and book the one that sounds like the perfect fit for you. And, have a great time exploring Sampa and backpacking in Brazil.
Best Party Hostel in Sao Paulo – O de Casa
A funky, colourful, and cool hostel in Sao Paulo, O de Casa is one of the best party hostels in Sao Paulo. Join in with the fun and meet easygoing locals and world travellers in the fab bar and sink your teeth into tasty Brazilian food prepared onsite. There’s no kitchen but the cheap prices help you maintain a budget, eat well, and savour local food. The friendly staff members are often down for a beer and a night out on the tiles, and there’s some 80 beds in total between the comfy dorms. That’s a lot of fellow travellers! Laze away hangovers in the gigantic hammock on the roof terrace—and get ready for the next party to start!
Best Cheap Hostel in Sao Paulo – Did’s Hostel
One of the best cheap hostels in Sao Paulo, Did’s Hostel has mixed dorms for eight and 12 as well as private double rooms. Budget travellers can save even more cash by cooking their own meals in the well-equipped kitchen. A fairly peaceful pad close to Paulista Avenue and public transport, the hostel has a chilled-out bar and an outdoor deck for hanging out. Tech and leisure wise, there’s free Wi-Fi, PCs with internet access, and cable TV. It’s a fantastic home from home for budget travellers.
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View on Osprey View on REIBest Hostel for Couples in Sao Paulo – Conforto MADA Hostel
A pleasant youth hostel in Sao Paulo, the friendly and homey Conforto MADA Hostel is tucked away on a quiet street close to the energy of Vila Madalena. The child-friendly hostel has some really nice private double rooms for pairs seeking their own space making it the best hostel in Sao Paulo for couples. Housed within a quaint townhouse, the hostel has a pretty garden, a communal kitchen, a steam room, and a lounge. Other perks include free Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, cable TV, board games, and luggage storage.
Best Hostel for Digital Nomads in Sao Paulo – Villa Hostel
A clean, calm, and small hostel close to Vila Madelena metro station, Villa Hostel is perfect for backpackers who want to add a touch of fanciness to their stay. More like a nice hotel than a hostel, it’s also one of the best hostels in Brazil for digital nomads. Free Wi-Fi, free use of onsite PCs, and a calm atmosphere makes getting work done easy. There are even meeting rooms if you’re looking to seal any deals. A choice of common areas, including a kitchen, living room, lobby seating, and terrace mean you can find the perfect spots to work in peace, chill, and socialise.
Overall Best Hostel in Sao Paulo – WE Hostel Design
What would make a top hostel in Sao Paulo? Somewhere safe and secure? Round-the-clock security and lockers ensure WE Hostel Design fulfils that important requirement. Beautiful common areas with a sociable atmosphere? Tick. WE Hostel Design has a lively courtyard bar, a combined cinema and dining room, a kitchen, a TV room, and a separate lounge; there are plenty of areas that encourage interaction and where guests can feel at home! Funky décor, free Wi-Fi, friendly and knowledgeable staff members, and bike hire all add to the appeal of WE Hostel Design. Oh, and the location in traditional Vila Mariana, close to the metro, and near Joaquim da Tavora Street with its boho feel, is also pretty sweet.
WE Hostel Design is one of our favourites in Sao Paulo but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
Best Hostel for Solo Travelers in Sao Paulo – Aquarela SP Hostel
One of the coolest hostels in Sao Paulo, Aquarela SP Hostel is our top pick when it comes to the best hostel for solo travellers in Sao Paulo. Located in the neighbourhood of Paraiso, it’s just a short walk from hip art galleries, trendy restaurants and cafes, cool museums, and lively bars and clubs. The onsite bar is a top place to meet other backpackers and bond over a beer and game of pool. The friendly members of staff are always happy to provide tips and information for the best stay in Sao Paulo. With indoor and outdoor chill-out areas, a shared kitchen, free Wi-Fi, and other handy features, it’s a recommended hostel in Sao Paulo for solo budget backpackers who love a sociable vibe.
Aquarela SP Hostel is one of our favourites in Sao Paulo but they’re not taking guests right now. We’re not sure if they’re closed for good but we hope they’ll come back soon.
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Hide Yo’ Money!More of the best hostels in Sao Paulo
Here are 14 more awesome hostels in Sao Paulo!
Red Monkey Hostel
Close to the metro station and many of Sao Paulo’s major places of interest, Red Monkey Hostel is a top hostel in Sao Paulo for people who like to be out and about exploring with minimal fuss. You can even rent bicycles at the hostel to cover more ground. Breakfast and Wi-Fi are free. A minimum age limit of 18 means you won’t be sharing the living area, kitchen, and dorms with kids. The onsite bar is ideal for meeting other travellers and makes it one of the best party hostels in Sao Paulo Brazil!
Viva Hostel Design
A top hostel in Sao Paulo for comfort, security, convenience, social vibes, and location, Viva Hostel Design could well become one of the overall best hostels in Sao Paulo for 2021. Charge your devices inside your lockers, without worrying about things going “missing”. LED lights in rooms and lockers, along with individual reading lights, prevent sleeping travellers from being overly disturbed by night owls. A tasty free breakfast is included and you can cook up a Brazilian feast (or something else!) in the well-equipped kitchen. There are different common areas to suit different moods and personalities: a bar, a TV room, and a lounge.
Anhembi Hostel
One of the best hostels in Sao Paulo for business travellers and entrepreneurs, Anhembi Hostel is also terrific for solo backpackers, couples, and groups of friends. The shared area is ideal for socialising, schmoozing, and working; there’s a bar, TV room, terrace, pool table, and foosball. Breakfast is free and other delicious meals are available without having to go outside if you’re just not feeling it. There’s also a kitchen for a DIY dinner. Other useful stuff includes a washing machine, luggage storage, curtains around beds, free-use computers, free Wi-Fi, lockers, and a tour desk.
Hostel SP011
For homey vibes in a boho setting, Hostel SP011 is hard to beat. A recommended hostel in Sao Paulo for backpackers who crave home comforts, the Vila Madalena location is within easy reach of the metro. Providing a good night’s sleep in comfortable beds in spacious rooms, this is more of a place for people who like to be out and about exploring Sao Paulo during the daytimes rather than lazing around indoors. The tour desk helps you fill your time. Breakfast is free and, while there’s no kitchen, tasty snacks are served onsite (for a fee). The bar is lively at weekends with locals and travellers.
Brazilodge Hostel
Among the best hostels in Sao Paulo for solo travellers, Brazilodge Hostel has everything you need for a safe, comfy, clean, and sociable stay. Dorms are single gender and there are private rooms for two, three, and four. Each room has its own bathroom and all guests have two lockers. Access is by keycard. Popular with travelling locals, backpackers can hang out in the common room, with a Wii, pool table, and board games. Wi-Fi and breakfast are free, and other meals are available from the cafe. Take care of the essentials thanks to the kitchen, laundry facilities, and currency exchange. The location is good too.
What to Pack for your Sao Paulo Hostel
Pants, socks, underwear, soap?! Take it from me, packing for a hostel stay is not always quite as straightforward as it seems. Working out what to bring and what to leave at home is an art I have perfected over many years.
Ear Plugs
Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.
Hanging Laundry Bag
Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.
Sea To Summit Micro Towel
Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.
Monopoly Deal
Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.
Grayl Geopress Water Bottle
Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!
Check out our definitive Hostel Packing list for our top packing tips!
Why you should travel to Sao Paulo
Brazil is a wild, wild ride, and Sao Paulo is the country’s beating heart. Hopefully with the help of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of Sao Paulo, and be able to book your hostel quickly and confidently.
And remember, if you can’t pick, go with our top hostel in Sao Paulo – WE Hostel Design
FAQ about Hostels in Sao Paulo
Here are some quick answers to common questions about safety in Sao Paulo.
How much does a hostel cost in Sao Paulo??
Based on our research, the average price of hostels in Sao Paulo is $14 for dorms, and private rooms’ average cost is $18-$20.
What are the best hostels in Sao Paulo for couples?
Conforto MADA Hostel is our pick for the best hostels for couples in Sao Paulo. It is comfy, in a great location, and affordable!
What are the best hostels in Sao Paulo near the airport?
WE Hostel Design, our pick for best overall hostel in Sao Paulo, is 6 km from Sao Paulo/Congonhas Airport.
Travel Safety Tips for Sao Paulo
ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.
They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.
SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!
Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.
More Epic Hostels in Brazil and South America
Hopefully by now you’ve found the perfect hostel for your upcoming trip to Sao Paulo.
Planning an epic trip all across Brazil or even South America itself?
Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!
For more cool hostel guides around South America, check out:
Over to you
By now I hope our epic guide to the best hostels in Sao Paulo has helped you choose the perfect hostel for your adventure!
If you think we’ve missed anything or have any further thoughts, hit us up in the comments!
- Check out our extensive guide to backpacking in Brazil for a wealth of info!
- Check out the best places to stay in Sao Paulo before you arrive.
- Prepare for your trip with our backpacking packing list.
- Get ready for your next destination with our ultimate South America backpacking guide.
And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links. That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!
