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: $836 in Curitiba versus $608 in Varginha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,336 in Curitiba versus $971 in Varginha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,836 in Curitiba versus $1,334 in Varginha.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 37% more expensive than Varginha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 38% lower, Varginha 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 R$27.26

$6.23 R$31.52

-13.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.66 R$165

$22.05 R$112

48.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 R$32.15

$6.19 R$31.34

2.58%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R$10.23

$0.86 R$4.35

134.88%

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

$1.14 R$5.75

$0.79 R$4.01

44.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.51

$0.53 R$2.68

30.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 R$10.71

$1.29 R$6.53

64.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 R$16.73

$3.15 R$15.95

5.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 R$4.89

$1.14 R$5.77

-14.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 R$7.22

$1.43 R$7.23

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$0.88 R$4.47

31.82%

Eggs

$2.11 R$10.66

$1.27 R$6.45

66.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 R$42.49

$7.68 R$38.90

9.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 R$18.87

$3.70 R$18.73

0.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 R$38.41

$7.33 R$37.11

3.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 R$10.67

$1.23 R$6.21

71.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 R$4.99

$1.28 R$6.48

-22.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 R$4.83

$0.91 R$4.63

4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.28

$1.16 R$5.89

6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 R$4.92

$0.82 R$4.15

18.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.35

$0.92 R$4.68

-6.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 R$2.85

$0.46 R$2.34

21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.35

$0.58 R$2.95

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.14

$1.95 R$9.86

12.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 R$38.71

$4.68 R$23.67

63.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 R$6.21

$1.00 R$5.08

23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R$11.26

$1.60 R$8.11

38.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 R$5.36

$0.81 R$4.09

30.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.76 R$237

$38.40 R$194

21.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.62

$0.92 R$4.66

20.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 R$3.31

$0.61 R$3.08

6.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.36 R$32.21

$5.86 R$29.66

8.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 R$5.97

$1.03 R$5.22

14.56%

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

$18.4K R$92.9K

$22.4K R$113.6K

-18.19%

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

$26.0K R$131.6K

$26.5K R$134.0K

-1.78%

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

$73.3 R$371

$47.63 R$241

53.87%

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

$11.32 R$57.3

$4.56 R$23.10

148.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.58 R$104

$17.73 R$89.8

16.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.75 R$130

$22.09 R$112

16.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 R$84.1

$21.29 R$108

-21.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 R$31.40

$5.52 R$27.96

12.32%

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

$282 R$1,428

$199 R$1,010

41.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,522 R$33.0K

$3,898 R$19.7K

67.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 R$274

$32.73 R$166

65.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.61 R$226

$52.3 R$265

-14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 R$424

$72.6 R$368

15.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.8 R$338

$53.1 R$269

25.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 R$1,835

$135 R$685

167.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 R$1,248

$104 R$527

136.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$671 R$3,398

$242 R$1,225

177.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 R$2,573

$232 R$1,174

119.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,275 R$11.5K

$1,534 R$7,768

48.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,685 R$8,531

$1,123 R$5,687

49.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 R$3,296

$445 R$2,254

46.25%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Varginha: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $362 in Curitiba and $135 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 $22.00 in Varginha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $152 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 37% 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.

Curitiba pays 46% 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: $362 in Curitiba versus $135 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 $282 in Curitiba versus $199 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 $608 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 37% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.