Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Nova Friburgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Nova Friburgo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $988 in Curitiba versus $584 in Nova Friburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,578 in Curitiba versus $982 in Nova Friburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Curitiba versus $1,379 in Nova Friburgo.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 69% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 28% lower, Nova Friburgo 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.77 R$39.61

$5.92 R$30.21

31.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 R$195

$28.69 R$146

33.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 R$42.96

$6.36 R$32.44

32.39%

Cappuccino

$2.65 R$13.50

$1.65 R$8.40

60.61%

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

$1.17 R$5.98

$0.91 R$4.63

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.42

$0.51 R$2.62

70.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 R$13.58

$1.19 R$6.07

123.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 R$21.24

$2.29 R$11.66

81.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.93 R$4.75

7.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 R$9.25

$1.46 R$7.45

23.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.68

$1.32 R$6.71

-0.76%

Eggs

$2.34 R$11.92

$1.88 R$9.58

24.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 R$48.90

$8.92 R$45.51

7.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 R$24.76

$3.27 R$16.68

48.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 R$50.9

$9.58 R$48.83

4.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.17

$1.57 R$8.01

1.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.04

$1.11 R$5.64

-10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.13

$0.95 R$4.82

6.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.80

$1.25 R$6.35

-8.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.41

$0.67 R$3.44

28.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.79 R$4.02

-6.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.90

$0.54 R$2.76

40.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.41

$0.79 R$4.02

8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R$14.67

$1.53 R$7.79

88.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 R$38.45

$5.72 R$29.17

31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.98

$0.94 R$4.79

45.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R$13.10

$1.32 R$6.74

94.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 R$5.86

$0.98 R$5.01

17.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 R$349

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.54

$1.14 R$5.79

12.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 R$3.74

$0.49 R$2.51

48.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 R$30.12

$6.60 R$33.67

-10.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R$6.75

$1.22 R$6.24

8.20%

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

$23.0K R$117.2K

$18.6K R$95.1K

23.28%

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

$31.8K R$162.1K

$30.4K R$154.8K

4.72%

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

$98.6 R$503

$39.23 R$200

151.44%

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

$14.65 R$74.7

$9.23 R$47.05

58.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 R$115

$18.43 R$94.0

22.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.08 R$138

$21.40 R$109

26.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 R$87.8

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R$34.06

$6.34 R$32.32

5.36%

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

$368 R$1,877

$140 R$714

162.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K R$54.8K

$2,496 R$12.7K

330.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 R$285

$68.6 R$350

-18.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.73 R$254

$81.1 R$414

-38.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 R$460

$64.1 R$327

40.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 R$383

$45.53 R$232

64.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,445

$156 R$795

207.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 R$1,414

$96.6 R$493

187.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 R$3,990

$390 R$1,990

100.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 R$2,662

$228 R$1,163

128.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,375 R$12.1K

$1,523 R$7,766

55.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 R$8,893

$770 R$3,929

126.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 R$3,317

$488 R$2,487

33.39%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Curitiba and $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 33% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Curitiba vs $29.00 in Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $167 per month, with Nova Friburgo cheaper across the board.

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 Nova Friburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nova Friburgo wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Curitiba. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nova Friburgo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% higher in Curitiba, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $479 in Curitiba versus $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Curitiba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $988 per month in Curitiba versus $584 in Nova Friburgo – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $584 in Nova Friburgo versus $988 in Curitiba, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nova Friburgo but tight or insufficient in Curitiba. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Friburgo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nova Friburgo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $584 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nova Friburgo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.