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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $854 in Curitiba versus $699 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Curitiba versus $1,095 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,851 in Curitiba versus $1,491 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 22% more expensive than in Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 36% lower, Nova Iguacu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 R$27.76

$2.90 R$14.69

89.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.06 R$167

$23.04 R$117

43.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 R$32.61

$7.35 R$37.16

-12.24%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R$9.91

$1.81 R$9.14

8.29%

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

$1.14 R$5.74

$0.95 R$4.80

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.20

$0.50 R$2.52

26.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 R$10.64

$1.60 R$8.10

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 R$16.30

$1.32 R$6.67

143.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.84

$1.08 R$5.45

-11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 R$7.12

$1.23 R$6.23

14.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.89

$1.09 R$5.53

7.34%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.50

$1.94 R$9.82

7.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 R$42.01

$7.81 R$39.50

6.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 R$18.94

$2.63 R$13.30

42.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 R$38.13

$6.64 R$33.59

13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 R$10.47

$1.23 R$6.24

68.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.97

$1.28 R$6.50

-23.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 R$4.83

$0.91 R$4.61

4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.33

$1.58 R$7.99

-20.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.77

$0.93 R$4.72

1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.69

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 R$3.04

$0.35 R$1.75

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 R$3.60

$0.38 R$1.91

86.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 R$10.62

$1.66 R$8.40

26.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 R$40.86

$5.95 R$30.08

35.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.89

$0.87 R$4.39

34.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.44

$1.23 R$6.20

83.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.32 R$6.70

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.57 R$241

$45.74 R$231

4.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R$5.80

$0.86 R$4.35

33.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.50

$1.06 R$5.37

-34.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 R$31.79

$8.54 R$43.20

-26.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.86

$1.01 R$5.11

14.85%

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

$18.3K R$92.4K

$22.4K R$113.4K

-18.54%

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

$26.1K R$131.9K

$28.8K R$145.5K

-9.32%

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

$71.9 R$364

$45.06 R$228

59.52%

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

$11.50 R$58.2

$10.75 R$54.4

6.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.13 R$107

$18.35 R$92.8

15.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.58 R$129

$21.49 R$109

19.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.51 R$83.5

$21.29 R$108

-22.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 R$30.98

$5.53 R$27.98

10.85%

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

$286 R$1,446

$66.4 R$336

330.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,618 R$33.5K

$1,724 R$8,718

283.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 R$282

$54.7 R$277

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.11 R$233

$34.51 R$175

33.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.8 R$419

$58.1 R$294

42.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 R$346

$54.1 R$273

26.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 R$1,858

$292 R$1,479

25.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 R$1,251

$224 R$1,134

10.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 R$3,342

$589 R$2,979

12.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 R$2,542

$408 R$2,062

23.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,409 R$12.2K

$936 R$4,733

157.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,718 R$8,690

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 R$3,232

$239 R$1,208

167.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

0.73%

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

Last update for Curitiba: July 21, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $367 in Curitiba and $292 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 168% 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: $33.00 in Curitiba vs $23.00 in Nova Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $146 per month, with Nova Iguacu 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 Iguacu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nova Iguacu wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Curitiba. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nova Iguacu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 168% 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: $367 in Curitiba versus $292 in Nova Iguacu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nova Iguacu runs roughly 4% less than in Curitiba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $286 in Curitiba versus $66.4 in Nova Iguacu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Nova Iguacu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nova Iguacu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $699 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nova Iguacu hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Nova Iguacu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.