Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Contagem Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Contagem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,011 per month in Curitiba vs $754 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,597 per month in Curitiba vs $1,224 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,182 per month in Curitiba vs $1,694 in Contagem, rent included.

Curitiba costs about 34% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Curitiba and Contagem are more affordable than the global median – Curitiba 26% lower, Contagem 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 R$39.56

$5.79 R$29.76

32.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.55 R$198

$29.24 R$150

31.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.86 R$45.56

$7.02 R$36.12

26.21%

Cappuccino

$2.76 R$14.18

$1.72 R$8.87

60.47%

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

$1.19 R$6.11

$1.31 R$6.74

-9.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.42

$0.59 R$3.04

45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 R$13.81

$1.24 R$6.40

116.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 R$21.33

$2.50 R$12.87

66.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.19

$0.96 R$4.95

5.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 R$9.79

$1.73 R$8.91

9.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.90

$1.35 R$6.94

-0.74%

Eggs

$2.39 R$12.31

$1.97 R$10.14

21.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.45 R$48.59

$9.74 R$50.1

-2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 R$24.68

$3.38 R$17.40

42.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.99 R$51.4

$7.17 R$36.87

39.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.30

$1.93 R$9.91

-16.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.26

$1.13 R$5.79

-9.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.93 R$4.79

4.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.18

$1.54 R$7.94

-22.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 R$4.22

$1.07 R$5.52

-23.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 R$3.61

$0.95 R$4.86

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.60

$0.81 R$4.19

-13.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.44

$0.76 R$3.90

13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R$14.83

$1.52 R$7.82

89.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 R$39.11

$5.98 R$30.72

27.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$7.02

$0.93 R$4.81

47.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 R$13.14

$1.33 R$6.85

92.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 R$6.12

$1.44 R$7.39

-17.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.9 R$364

$77.6 R$399

-8.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 R$6.61

$1.11 R$5.70

16.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.19

$0.74 R$3.81

9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 R$29.95

$6.39 R$32.86

-8.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.64

$1.28 R$6.60

0.78%

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

$23.5K R$120.9K

$23.2K R$119.5K

1.14%

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

$32.6K R$167.8K

$31.1K R$160.1K

4.81%

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

$98.8 R$508

$72.7 R$374

35.88%

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

$14.76 R$75.9

$9.46 R$48.64

56.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 R$117

$18.85 R$96.9

20.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.98 R$139

$25.74 R$132

4.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 R$89.0

$22.93 R$118

-24.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 R$35.55

$6.80 R$34.95

1.62%

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

$364 R$1,873

$143 R$736

154.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K R$54.9K

$2,521 R$13.0K

323.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 R$290

$59.6 R$306

-5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.89 R$257

$46.58 R$240

7.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.0 R$483

$64.6 R$332

45.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.6 R$389

$46.45 R$239

62.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 R$2,576

$218 R$1,120

130.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 R$1,438

$150 R$769

86.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 R$3,972

$464 R$2,387

66.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 R$2,696

$321 R$1,651

63.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 R$12.5K

$1,951 R$10.0K

24.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,758 R$9,040

$974 R$5,008

80.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,338

$250 R$1,288

159.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.54

10.67

8.15%

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

Last update for Curitiba: September 12, 2026

Last update for Contagem: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $501 in Curitiba versus $218 in Contagem. 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 159% 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 $39.00 in Curitiba versus $29.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $172 – making Contagem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Contagem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Curitiba is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,517 per month in Curitiba and $1,131 in Contagem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 9% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $364 per month in Curitiba and $143 in Contagem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $754, than in Curitiba at $1,011. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Curitiba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – 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 Contagem. 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.