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: $848 in Curitiba versus $705 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Curitiba versus $1,106 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,818 in Curitiba versus $1,507 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 20% more expensive than Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 37% lower, Nova Iguacu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 R$27.58

$2.83 R$14.55

89.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.23 R$166

$23.82 R$123

35.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.16 R$31.73

$7.39 R$38.09

-16.64%

Cappuccino

$2.07 R$10.65

$1.83 R$9.41

13.11%

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

$1.13 R$5.80

$1.00 R$5.15

13.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.55

$0.52 R$2.70

32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 R$11.42

$1.64 R$8.44

35.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$17.03

$1.34 R$6.90

147.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 R$5.00

$1.09 R$5.64

-11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 R$7.62

$1.28 R$6.60

15.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.90

$1.05 R$5.43

8.57%

Eggs

$2.05 R$10.58

$1.85 R$9.51

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.15 R$41.96

$7.44 R$38.35

9.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 R$19.36

$2.64 R$13.59

42.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 R$38.82

$6.64 R$34.21

13.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 R$10.99

$1.24 R$6.37

71.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.80

$1.25 R$6.43

-25.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.95

$0.87 R$4.46

10.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.22

$1.60 R$8.25

-24.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.33

$0.92 R$4.76

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.50

$0.92 R$4.73

-5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 R$3.06

$0.38 R$1.95

55.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.40

$0.35 R$1.78

88.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.86

$1.70 R$8.75

24.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.82

$5.87 R$30.22

34.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$6.09

$0.93 R$4.78

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$11.08

$1.25 R$6.43

72.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 R$5.49

$1.29 R$6.64

-17.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.33 R$244

$45.89 R$236

3.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.68

$0.88 R$4.54

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.56

$1.03 R$5.28

-33.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 R$32.87

$8.47 R$43.62

-24.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R$6.31

$1.00 R$5.15

22.00%

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

$18.7K R$96.5K

$22.5K R$116.1K

-16.92%

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

$26.2K R$135.0K

$29.0K R$149.5K

-9.69%

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

$72.4 R$373

$45.70 R$235

58.32%

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

$11.52 R$59.4

$10.61 R$54.6

8.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.29 R$110

$18.78 R$96.8

13.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.34 R$131

$21.49 R$111

17.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 R$85.5

$21.85 R$113

-23.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$33.11

$5.28 R$27.22

21.78%

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

$286 R$1,471

$66.7 R$344

327.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,389 R$32.9K

$1,719 R$8,856

271.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 R$279

$53.7 R$277

0.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.55 R$230

$34.14 R$176

30.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.9 R$427

$59.4 R$306

39.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 R$353

$55.1 R$284

24.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 R$1,825

$295 R$1,517

20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 R$1,269

$224 R$1,156

9.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 R$3,474

$577 R$2,974

16.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 R$2,550

$401 R$2,063

23.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,354 R$12.1K

$949 R$4,887

148.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,721 R$8,868

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$656 R$3,379

$236 R$1,215

178.13%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Curitiba and $295 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 178% 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: $32.00 in Curitiba vs $24.00 in Nova Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $145 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 20% 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.

Curitiba pays 178% more on average, 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: $354 in Curitiba versus $295 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 3% 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 $66.7 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 $705 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 20% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.