Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Varginha Cost of Living Comparison Between Curitiba and Varginha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $834 in Curitiba versus $601 in Varginha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Curitiba versus $970 in Varginha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,818 in Curitiba versus $1,340 in Varginha.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 39% more expensive than in Varginha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 37% lower, Varginha 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 R$28.45

$6.41 R$32.78

-13.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 R$167

$21.34 R$109

52.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$31.70

$6.33 R$32.41

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$2.04 R$10.44

$0.87 R$4.44

134.48%

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

$1.08 R$5.51

$0.78 R$3.98

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.27

$0.53 R$2.70

20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R$11.16

$1.23 R$6.27

77.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 R$16.15

$3.21 R$16.44

-1.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 R$4.96

$1.12 R$5.74

-13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.36

$1.47 R$7.52

-2.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.13

$0.91 R$4.67

31.87%

Eggs

$2.11 R$10.79

$1.31 R$6.71

61.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.23 R$42.13

$7.54 R$38.58

9.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 R$19.78

$3.78 R$19.34

2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.46 R$38.17

$7.04 R$36.00

5.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 R$10.47

$1.25 R$6.38

64.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.15

$1.29 R$6.59

-21.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 R$4.67

$0.87 R$4.44

4.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.40

$1.12 R$5.75

11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 R$4.86

$0.83 R$4.26

14.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.52

$0.93 R$4.78

-5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 R$2.87

$0.46 R$2.36

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 R$3.60

$0.55 R$2.81

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 R$11.31

$1.96 R$10.03

12.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 R$39.59

$4.74 R$24.25

63.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.19

$0.95 R$4.84

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 R$11.26

$1.65 R$8.47

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 R$5.66

$0.81 R$4.16

37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.21 R$242

$38.63 R$198

22.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.72

$0.85 R$4.33

31.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.39

$0.62 R$3.16

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.38 R$32.63

$5.71 R$29.20

11.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.03 R$5.30

12.62%

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

$18.6K R$95.2K

$22.8K R$116.8K

-18.50%

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

$26.0K R$132.8K

$26.2K R$133.8K

-0.75%

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

$72.0 R$368

$47.03 R$241

53.09%

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

$11.48 R$58.8

$4.47 R$22.87

156.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.21 R$109

$17.57 R$89.9

20.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.10 R$128

$22.67 R$116

10.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.68 R$85.4

$22.04 R$113

-24.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 R$31.49

$5.41 R$27.68

13.68%

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

$283 R$1,449

$198 R$1,015

42.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,401 R$32.8K

$3,858 R$19.7K

65.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 R$277

$32.49 R$166

66.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 R$229

$52.2 R$267

-14.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 R$420

$70.8 R$362

15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 R$355

$53.6 R$274

29.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$359 R$1,836

$132 R$675

171.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 R$1,264

$107 R$550

129.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 R$3,484

$247 R$1,263

175.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 R$2,544

$230 R$1,179

115.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,383 R$12.2K

$1,635 R$8,366

45.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,706 R$8,731

$1,154 R$5,906

47.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 R$3,372

$452 R$2,312

45.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.00%

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

Last update for Curitiba: July 26, 2026

Last update for Varginha: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $359 in Curitiba and $132 in Varginha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 46% 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 $21.00 in Varginha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $151 per month, with Varginha 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 Varginha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varginha wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Curitiba. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Varginha the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $359 in Curitiba versus $132 in Varginha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Varginha runs roughly 22% less than in Curitiba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $283 in Curitiba versus $198 in Varginha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Varginha 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 Varginha delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $601 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Varginha hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Varginha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.