Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Cabo Frio Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Cabo Frio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $832 per month in Curitiba vs $825 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,337 per month in Curitiba vs $1,305 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Curitiba vs $1,784 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Curitiba costs about 1% more than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Curitiba and Cabo Frio are more affordable than the global median – Curitiba 38% lower, Cabo Frio 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 R$27.32

$7.28 R$36.34

-24.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.76 R$163

$28.95 R$144

13.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 R$32.02

$6.11 R$30.51

5.07%

Cappuccino

$2.03 R$10.12

$1.95 R$9.73

4.10%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 R$5.45

$1.32 R$6.57

-17.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.38

$0.57 R$2.83

19.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 R$10.61

$1.82 R$9.10

17.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 R$15.84

$2.78 R$13.88

14.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.57

$1.13 R$5.62

-18.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 R$7.15

$1.76 R$8.79

-18.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.78

$1.42 R$7.10

-18.31%

Eggs

$2.15 R$10.74

$1.96 R$9.80

9.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 R$40.82

$7.79 R$38.87

5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 R$19.21

$3.63 R$18.11

6.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R$36.41

$7.91 R$39.48

-7.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 R$10.12

$2.30 R$11.45

-11.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.61

$1.63 R$8.12

-43.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.47

$1.51 R$7.55

-40.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.31

$1.56 R$7.79

-19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.78

$1.29 R$6.43

-25.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.41

$1.16 R$5.80

-24.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 R$2.98

$0.68 R$3.40

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.39

$0.56 R$2.81

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 R$10.56

$1.96 R$9.77

8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 R$39.05

$7.98 R$39.81

-1.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.84

$1.21 R$6.04

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R$11.10

$2.05 R$10.23

8.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 R$5.26

$1.13 R$5.63

-7.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.20 R$231

$38.22 R$191

20.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 R$5.69

$1.12 R$5.59

1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.56

$0.69 R$3.45

2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.12 R$30.53

$7.39 R$36.88

-17.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.81

$1.12 R$5.56

3.57%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.8K R$94.0K

$20.2K R$101.0K

-6.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K R$132.6K

$27.1K R$135.4K

-2.06%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$73.2 R$365

$101 R$505

-27.65%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.66 R$58.2

$12.15 R$60.6

-4.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.53 R$102

$18.81 R$93.9

9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.23 R$126

$22.65 R$113

11.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.97 R$84.7

$21.66 R$108

-21.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 R$30.80

$6.62 R$33.04

-6.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$280 R$1,399

$546 R$2,727

-48.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,394 R$31.9K

$11.6K R$57.8K

-44.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 R$271

$44.47 R$222

22.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.74 R$228

$40.94 R$204

11.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$415

$76.9 R$383

8.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 R$334

$62.0 R$310

7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 R$1,815

$318 R$1,588

14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 R$1,240

$220 R$1,096

13.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 R$3,339

$583 R$2,907

14.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 R$2,509

$421 R$2,103

19.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,131 R$10.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,583 R$7,898

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$660 R$3,291

$280 R$1,398

135.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

-2.91%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Curitiba: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Curitiba versus $318 in Cabo Frio. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 135% higher in Curitiba, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Curitiba versus $29.00 in Cabo Frio. Groceries tell a different story – $169 in Curitiba vs $185 in Cabo Frio – so Curitiba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Curitiba vs Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Curitiba is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,248 per month in Curitiba and $1,238 in Cabo Frio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabo Frio, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $832 in Curitiba and $825 in Cabo Frio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $832 in Curitiba and $825 in Cabo Frio, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cabo Frio. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Curitiba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.