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: $1,029 in Curitiba versus $718 in Varginha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,596 in Curitiba versus $1,131 in Varginha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Curitiba versus $1,544 in Varginha.

Living in Curitiba is roughly 43% more expensive than in Varginha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Curitiba 25% lower, Varginha 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 R$39.38

$8.76 R$44.89

-12.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.78 R$199

$23.39 R$120

65.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.82 R$45.20

$6.77 R$34.69

30.28%

Cappuccino

$2.68 R$13.72

$0.94 R$4.84

185.11%

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

$1.13 R$5.81

$0.86 R$4.40

31.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 R$4.70

$0.59 R$3.03

55.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 R$14.30

$1.36 R$6.99

105.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 R$21.27

$3.49 R$17.90

18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.49

$0.86 R$4.40

24.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 R$9.43

$1.51 R$7.72

21.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.90

$1.00 R$5.15

35.00%

Eggs

$2.37 R$12.14

$1.36 R$6.97

74.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.59 R$49.15

$8.59 R$44.06

11.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 R$24.71

$3.48 R$17.86

38.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 R$51.4

$8.87 R$45.48

13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.32

$1.37 R$7.01

18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.38

$1.33 R$6.81

-21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 R$4.88

$0.91 R$4.68

4.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$0.91 R$4.68

27.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 R$4.15

$0.95 R$4.85

-14.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.83

$0.97 R$4.98

-22.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.92

$0.47 R$2.41

63.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.44

$0.66 R$3.41

31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 R$15.10

$2.08 R$10.65

41.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.57 R$38.83

$4.93 R$25.28

53.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 R$7.13

$1.08 R$5.55

28.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 R$12.72

$1.72 R$8.80

44.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.15 R$5.91

$0.87 R$4.44

32.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.9 R$353

$43.28 R$222

59.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 R$6.34

$0.92 R$4.69

34.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 R$4.11

$0.69 R$3.56

15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 R$30.09

$6.28 R$32.18

-6.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 R$6.76

$1.11 R$5.70

18.92%

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

$23.0K R$118.0K

$22.9K R$117.2K

0.68%

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

$32.6K R$167.1K

$28.5K R$146.3K

14.21%

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

$101 R$515

$102 R$522

-1.18%

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

$14.74 R$75.6

$4.94 R$25.33

198.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.53 R$115

$19.35 R$99.2

16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.41 R$140

$25.26 R$130

8.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 R$87.5

$27.14 R$139

-37.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 R$34.67

$7.88 R$40.40

-14.21%

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

$377 R$1,932

$209 R$1,071

80.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K R$56.2K

$4,185 R$21.5K

161.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 R$282

$34.56 R$177

59.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 R$260

$57.6 R$295

-12.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 R$476

$75.6 R$388

22.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 R$398

$57.4 R$294

35.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 R$2,544

$140 R$718

254.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 R$1,466

$115 R$588

149.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 R$4,042

$262 R$1,344

200.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 R$2,665

$242 R$1,239

115.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,477 R$12.7K

$1,623 R$8,320

52.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,766 R$9,055

$1,137 R$5,827

55.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 R$3,403

$441 R$2,259

50.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.54

15.40%

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

Last update for Curitiba: September 8, 2026

Last update for Varginha: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Curitiba and $140 in Varginha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 51% 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: $39.00 in Curitiba vs $23.00 in Varginha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $159 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 43% 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 51% 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: $496 in Curitiba versus $140 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 59% less than in Curitiba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $377 in Curitiba versus $209 in Varginha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $718 in Varginha versus $1,029 in Curitiba, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Varginha but tight or insufficient in Curitiba. The gap between the two cities makes Varginha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Varginha delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $718 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 43% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.