Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Sao Bernardo do Campo Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Sao Bernardo do Campo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $988 in Curitiba versus $826 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,578 in Curitiba versus $1,292 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Curitiba versus $1,758 in Sao Bernardo do Campo.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 20% more expensive than in Sao Bernardo do Campo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 28% lower, Sao Bernardo do Campo 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.77 R$39.80

$6.76 R$34.65

14.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 R$196

$28.64 R$147

33.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 R$43.16

$8.42 R$43.15

Cappuccino

$2.65 R$13.56

$1.72 R$8.82

54.07%

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

$1.17 R$6.01

$1.22 R$6.24

-4.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.44

$0.64 R$3.30

35.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 R$13.65

$2.33 R$11.94

14.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 R$21.33

$3.77 R$19.31

10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.15

$0.93 R$4.75

7.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 R$9.29

$1.93 R$9.88

-6.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.71

$1.29 R$6.61

1.55%

Eggs

$2.34 R$11.98

$1.92 R$9.82

21.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 R$49.13

$11.23 R$57.6

-14.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 R$24.87

$4.38 R$22.42

10.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 R$51.1

$10.18 R$52.2

-1.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.21

$2.32 R$11.87

-31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.06

$1.67 R$8.57

-40.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$1.32 R$6.75

-23.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.83

$1.48 R$7.59

-22.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.43

$1.28 R$6.57

-32.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 R$3.79

$0.97 R$4.98

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.92

$0.85 R$4.37

-10.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.43

$0.81 R$4.14

6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 R$14.74

$2.16 R$11.07

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 R$38.63

$6.75 R$34.60

11.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$7.01

$1.20 R$6.16

14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 R$13.16

$2.52 R$12.89

1.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 R$5.88

$1.09 R$5.58

5.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.3 R$350

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 R$6.57

$1.13 R$5.80

13.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 R$3.76

$0.60 R$3.10

21.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 R$30.27

$2.97 R$15.20

98.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R$6.78

$1.09 R$5.59

21.10%

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

$23.0K R$117.8K

$22.9K R$117.4K

0.31%

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

$31.8K R$162.9K

$30.9K R$158.3K

2.87%

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

$98.6 R$505

$63.5 R$325

55.36%

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

$14.65 R$75.1

$15.38 R$78.8

-4.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 R$115

$19.98 R$102

12.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.08 R$139

$23.11 R$118

17.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 R$88.2

$32.12 R$165

-46.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R$34.22

$6.88 R$35.25

-2.91%

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

$368 R$1,885

$323 R$1,656

13.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K R$55.0K

$6,370 R$32.6K

68.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 R$287

$36.95 R$189

51.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.73 R$255

$46.34 R$237

7.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 R$462

$92.8 R$475

-2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 R$385

$73.2 R$375

2.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,457

$326 R$1,672

46.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 R$1,421

$245 R$1,256

13.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 R$4,009

$953 R$4,884

-17.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 R$2,675

$426 R$2,183

22.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,375 R$12.2K

$1,535 R$7,865

54.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,744 R$8,935

$1,058 R$5,421

64.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 R$3,333

$379 R$1,941

71.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.54

10.81

6.75%

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

Last update for Curitiba: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sao Bernardo do Campo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Curitiba and $326 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 72% 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 Sao Bernardo do Campo. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $205, with Curitiba cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sao Bernardo do Campo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Bernardo do Campo wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Curitiba. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sao Bernardo do Campo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 72% 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 $326 in Sao Bernardo do Campo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Curitiba pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $988 per month in Curitiba versus $826 in Sao Bernardo do Campo – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $826 in Sao Bernardo do Campo versus $988 in Curitiba, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Bernardo do Campo but tight or insufficient in Curitiba. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Bernardo do Campo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sao Bernardo do Campo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $826 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sao Bernardo do Campo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Sao Bernardo do Campo 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.