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: $831 in Curitiba versus $708 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,325 in Curitiba versus $1,114 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,818 in Curitiba versus $1,521 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 17% more expensive than Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 38% lower, Nova Iguacu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 R$27.36

$2.80 R$13.92

96.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.95 R$159

$23.07 R$115

38.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 R$32.13

$7.11 R$35.35

-9.00%

Cappuccino

$1.95 R$9.69

$1.80 R$8.94

8.33%

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

$1.14 R$5.67

$0.92 R$4.57

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.20

$0.49 R$2.42

30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 R$10.95

$1.67 R$8.29

31.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 R$16.36

$1.32 R$6.56

149.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.56

$1.13 R$5.63

-18.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.13

$1.28 R$6.36

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.72

$1.06 R$5.28

8.49%

Eggs

$2.05 R$10.20

$1.86 R$9.23

10.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 R$42.56

$7.79 R$38.73

9.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 R$18.81

$2.50 R$12.44

51.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 R$37.46

$6.57 R$32.66

14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 R$10.20

$1.23 R$6.13

66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 R$4.75

$1.23 R$6.11

-22.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.45

$0.92 R$4.58

-2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.25

$1.59 R$7.93

-20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.69

$0.87 R$4.32

8.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.32

$0.89 R$4.41

-2.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 R$2.80

$0.37 R$1.86

51.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 R$3.56

$0.34 R$1.71

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.60

$1.74 R$8.63

22.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 R$40.77

$6.00 R$29.82

36.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.81

$0.93 R$4.61

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 R$11.08

$1.24 R$6.15

79.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 R$5.24

$1.33 R$6.60

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.70 R$232

$44.63 R$222

4.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R$5.72

$0.91 R$4.53

26.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.53

$1.01 R$5.04

-29.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 R$31.90

$8.86 R$44.04

-27.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R$6.08

$1.00 R$4.98

22.00%

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

$18.4K R$91.5K

$22.6K R$112.3K

-18.56%

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

$26.6K R$132.3K

$29.3K R$145.8K

-9.27%

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

$73.1 R$363

$45.15 R$224

61.90%

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

$11.38 R$56.6

$10.66 R$53.0

6.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.81 R$103

$18.88 R$93.8

10.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.36 R$126

$21.55 R$107

17.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.69 R$82.9

$21.35 R$106

-21.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 R$30.68

$5.50 R$27.34

12.18%

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

$281 R$1,399

$67.8 R$337

314.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,390 R$31.8K

$1,723 R$8,565

270.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 R$276

$54.7 R$272

1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.91 R$223

$34.84 R$173

28.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 R$409

$58.1 R$289

41.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.3 R$340

$53.3 R$265

28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 R$1,816

$293 R$1,458

24.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 R$1,240

$223 R$1,107

12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 R$3,310

$574 R$2,854

15.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 R$2,464

$407 R$2,024

21.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,265 R$11.3K

$1,703 R$8,463

33.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,585 R$7,877

$1,222 R$6,075

29.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 R$3,178

$240 R$1,193

166.27%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Curitiba and $293 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 166% 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 in Curitiba vs $23 in Nova Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 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 17% 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 166% 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: $365 in Curitiba versus $293 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 5% less than in Curitiba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $281 in Curitiba versus $67.8 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 $708 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 17% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.