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: $988 in Curitiba versus $718 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,578 in Curitiba versus $1,182 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Curitiba versus $1,646 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 38% more expensive than in Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 28% lower, Nova Iguacu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.77 R$39.81

$3.45 R$17.67

125.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 R$196

$29.36 R$150

30.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 R$43.17

$7.56 R$38.73

11.38%

Cappuccino

$2.65 R$13.56

$1.81 R$9.27

46.41%

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

$1.17 R$6.01

$1.19 R$6.08

-1.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.44

$0.53 R$2.70

64.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 R$13.65

$1.65 R$8.48

61.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 R$21.34

$1.53 R$7.82

171.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.15

$1.22 R$6.25

-18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 R$9.30

$1.50 R$7.66

20.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.71

$1.12 R$5.72

16.96%

Eggs

$2.34 R$11.98

$1.94 R$9.95

20.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 R$49.14

$8.28 R$42.43

15.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 R$24.88

$2.81 R$14.42

72.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 R$51.1

$6.85 R$35.11

45.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.21

$1.33 R$6.82

20.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.06

$1.33 R$6.84

-25.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$0.94 R$4.84

7.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.83

$1.76 R$9.04

-35.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.43

$0.95 R$4.86

-9.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 R$3.79

$1.00 R$5.12

-26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.92

$0.38 R$1.94

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.43

$0.37 R$1.91

132.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R$14.74

$1.78 R$9.12

61.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 R$38.64

$5.94 R$30.43

26.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$7.01

$0.97 R$4.97

41.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R$13.17

$1.32 R$6.74

94.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 R$5.89

$1.42 R$7.30

-19.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 R$350

$47.86 R$245

42.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.30 R$6.65

-1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 R$3.76

$1.37 R$7.02

-46.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 R$30.27

$9.15 R$46.89

-35.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R$6.78

$1.11 R$5.67

18.92%

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

$23.0K R$117.8K

$23.5K R$120.2K

-1.99%

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

$31.8K R$162.9K

$33.4K R$171.0K

-4.71%

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

$98.6 R$506

$43.90 R$225

124.69%

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

$14.65 R$75.1

$11.54 R$59.1

26.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 R$115

$17.56 R$90.0

28.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.08 R$139

$22.99 R$118

17.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 R$88.2

$38.17 R$196

-54.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R$34.23

$5.92 R$30.35

12.84%

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

$368 R$1,886

$73.6 R$377

400.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K R$55.1K

$1,844 R$9,448

482.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 R$287

$52.8 R$271

5.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.73 R$255

$36.64 R$188

35.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 R$462

$63.6 R$326

41.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 R$385

$57.7 R$296

30.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,457

$316 R$1,620

51.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 R$1,421

$209 R$1,069

32.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 R$4,010

$635 R$3,254

23.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 R$2,675

$441 R$2,262

18.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,375 R$12.2K

$951 R$4,874

149.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 R$8,937

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 R$3,333

$234 R$1,197

178.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.54

11.12

3.78%

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

Last update for Curitiba: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Curitiba and $316 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 179% 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 Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $156 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 38% 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 179% 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 $316 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 43% less than in Curitiba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $368 in Curitiba versus $73.6 in Nova Iguacu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $718 in Nova Iguacu versus $988 in Curitiba, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Iguacu but tight or insufficient in Curitiba. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Iguacu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nova Iguacu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $718 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 38% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.