Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Criciuma

For one person, living is cheaper in Criciuma: $711 a month against $1,000 in Curitiba, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Curitiba, Brazil
Criciuma, Brazil
Curitiba
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,000
/mo nomad
Criciuma
🇧🇷 Brazil
$711
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Curitiba and in Criciuma

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Curitiba and in Criciuma actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,000 in Curitiba versus $711 in Criciuma.

  • Curitiba $1,000
  • Criciuma $711

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,532 in Curitiba versus $1,060 in Criciuma.

  • Curitiba $1,532
  • Criciuma $1,060

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,065 in Curitiba versus $1,410 in Criciuma.

  • Curitiba $2,065
  • Criciuma $1,410

Living in Curitiba is roughly 41% more expensive than in Criciuma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 26% lower, Criciuma 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.19 R$39.07
$5.38 R$29.26
33.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.52 R$199
$20.36 R$111
79.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.39 R$45.64
$5.48 R$29.79
53.10%
Cappuccino
$2.45 R$13.34
$1.23 R$6.69
99.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 R$5.56
$1.04 R$5.66
-1.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 R$4.75
$0.68 R$3.70
27.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.51 R$13.64
$1.50 R$8.17
67.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 R$19.49
$1.83 R$9.92
95.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.93 R$5.05
$0.84 R$4.58
10.71%
White Bread (500g)
$1.76 R$9.56
$1.35 R$7.36
30.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.93
$1.02 R$5.56
24.51%
Eggs
$2.31 R$12.58
$1.90 R$10.32
21.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.18 R$49.90
$7.59 R$41.29
20.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.59 R$24.97
$3.38 R$18.38
35.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.43 R$51.3
$8.00 R$43.47
17.87%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 R$9.15
$1.96 R$10.68
-14.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 R$5.58
$1.08 R$5.89
-4.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.89 R$4.84
$0.94 R$5.13
-5.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.28 R$6.98
$1.48 R$8.07
-13.51%
Potato (1kg)
$0.77 R$4.18
$1.15 R$6.27
-33.04%
Onion (1kg)
$0.68 R$3.68
$1.03 R$5.61
-33.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 R$4.02
$0.74 R$4.02
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 R$4.18
$0.61 R$3.30
26.23%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.73 R$14.82
$2.35 R$12.76
16.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.35 R$34.53
$4.38 R$23.83
44.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 R$6.42
$1.08 R$5.89
9.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 R$12.80
$1.33 R$7.25
76.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.09 R$5.92
$0.95 R$5.14
14.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$64.9 R$353
$36.40 R$198
78.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.23 R$6.70
$0.45 R$2.47
173.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.77 R$4.17
$0.72 R$3.94
6.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 R$30.44
$2.27 R$12.32
146.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 R$6.55
$1.22 R$6.62
-0.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0K R$119.7K
$21.7K R$117.9K
1.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K R$172.4K
$28.5K R$154.9K
11.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.1 R$528
$66.5 R$361
46.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.63 R$74.1
$11.38 R$61.9
19.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.41 R$116
$20.08 R$109
6.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.23 R$137
$26.76 R$145
-5.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.47 R$100
$37.06 R$201
-50.16%
Cinema Ticket
$7.45 R$40.53
$6.77 R$36.79
10.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$354 R$1,926
$154 R$838
129.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K R$84.6K
$2,747 R$14.9K
466.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 R$287
$46.99 R$255
12.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.0 R$277
$27.95 R$152
82.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.1 R$473
$75.9 R$413
14.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.1 R$408
$40.62 R$221
84.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$470 R$2,557
$222 R$1,205
112.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 R$1,688
$192 R$1,045
61.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$778 R$4,228
$378 R$2,055
105.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$521 R$2,834
$248 R$1,349
110.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,247 R$12.2K
$1,096 R$5,958
105.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,720 R$9,352
$594 R$3,230
189.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Curitiba
Criciuma
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$717 R$3,899
$288 R$1,565
149.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.54
10.74
7.45%

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

Last update for Curitiba: November 1, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Curitiba
$310
Criciuma
$192 38.1% $118
Groceries & Markets
Curitiba
$184
Criciuma
$157 14.3% $26
Eating Out
Curitiba
$139
Criciuma
$92 33.8% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Curitiba
$132
Criciuma
$98 25.9% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Curitiba
$120
Criciuma
$86 28% $34
Getting Around
Curitiba
$74
Criciuma
$44 40.5% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Curitiba
$40
Criciuma
$40 0.4% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Curitiba and $222 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays about 2.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37 in Curitiba vs $20 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $157 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Curitiba
🇧🇷 Criciuma
🕒 Local time
09:26 9:26 AM
09:26 9:26 AM
Same time as Curitiba
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,773,718
214,493
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 5.44 BRL (1 BRL = 0.184 USD). 1 EUR = 6.09 BRL (1 BRL = 0.164 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Curitiba Criciuma 360 km
From you
  • Curitiba
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Criciuma cheaper than Curitiba?
Criciuma is about 29% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Curitiba or Criciuma?
Average pay in Curitiba is about 2.5 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Curitiba and Criciuma?
Rent for a central apartment: $470 in Curitiba versus $222 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 44% less than in Curitiba. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $354 in Curitiba versus $154 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is it better to live in Curitiba or in Criciuma?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Curitiba vs other spots: cost of living compared

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