Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guarulhos and Curitiba

For one person, living is cheaper in Guarulhos: $964 a month against $1,055 in Curitiba, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Curitiba outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Guarulhos
🇧🇷 Brazil
$964
/mo nomad
Curitiba
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,055
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guarulhos and in Curitiba

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Guarulhos and in Curitiba actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $964 in Guarulhos versus $1,055 in Curitiba.

  • Guarulhos $964
  • Curitiba $1,055

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,764 in Guarulhos versus $1,641 in Curitiba.

  • Guarulhos $1,764
  • Curitiba $1,641

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,565 in Guarulhos versus $2,228 in Curitiba.

  • Guarulhos $2,565
  • Curitiba $2,228

Living in Guarulhos costs roughly 9% less than in Curitiba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guarulhos 29% lower, Curitiba 22% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.69 R$44.06
$8.08 R$40.95
7.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.01 R$203
$39.04 R$198
2.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.00 R$45.61
$8.72 R$44.21
3.21%
Cappuccino
$2.46 R$12.50
$2.64 R$13.40
-6.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 R$6.82
$1.13 R$5.74
19.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.86 R$4.37
$0.92 R$4.68
-6.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 R$12.39
$2.73 R$13.84
-10.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.88 R$19.65
$3.86 R$19.56
0.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 R$5.32
$1.06 R$5.36
-0.94%
White Bread (500g)
$1.88 R$9.52
$1.82 R$9.24
3.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 R$6.76
$1.37 R$6.92
-2.92%
Eggs
$2.46 R$12.47
$2.54 R$12.87
-3.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.61 R$63.9
$10.07 R$51.1
25.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.79 R$24.27
$5.08 R$25.75
-5.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.70 R$54.3
$10.49 R$53.2
2.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.38 R$12.07
$1.72 R$8.70
38.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 R$8.71
$1.05 R$5.32
63.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 R$7.74
$1.03 R$5.20
48.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.53 R$7.76
$1.39 R$7.03
10.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.26 R$6.40
$0.80 R$4.04
57.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 R$6.00
$0.80 R$4.03
47.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 R$4.97
$0.81 R$4.09
20.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.85 R$4.32
$0.82 R$4.17
3.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.49 R$12.65
$2.94 R$14.88
-15.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.88 R$50.1
$7.12 R$36.10
38.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 R$7.62
$1.31 R$6.63
14.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 R$12.64
$2.54 R$12.89
-1.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 R$6.30
$1.17 R$5.91
5.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$105 R$532
$71.0 R$360
47.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.17 R$5.94
$1.26 R$6.40
-7.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.72 R$3.64
$0.76 R$3.87
-5.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.49 R$43.03
$5.96 R$30.23
42.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 R$6.50
$1.30 R$6.60
-1.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.6K R$119.5K
$23.3K R$118.0K
1.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.2K R$173.5K
$33.3K R$169.0K
2.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.6 R$465
$105 R$534
-13.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.98 R$75.9
$14.51 R$73.6
3.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.33 R$113
$23.46 R$119
-4.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$28.22 R$143
$28.95 R$147
-2.52%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$20.08 R$102
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.05 R$50.9
$7.78 R$39.45
29.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$429 R$2,173
$383 R$1,943
11.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K R$56.0K
$10.9K R$55.4K
1.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.1 R$330
$57.6 R$292
13.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 R$289
$55.2 R$280
3.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.2 R$467
$94.7 R$480
-2.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5 R$403
$80.8 R$410
-1.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$349 R$1,770
$515 R$2,612
-32.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$158 R$801
$304 R$1,540
-47.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$995 R$5,042
$851 R$4,316
16.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$768 R$3,895
$549 R$2,785
39.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,944 R$9,855
$2,472 R$12.5K
-21.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,480 R$7,502
$1,745 R$8,847
-15.21%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guarulhos
Curitiba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$378 R$1,914
$687 R$3,481
-45.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.25
11.54
-2.51%

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

Last update for Guarulhos: October 19, 2026

Last update for Curitiba: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Guarulhos
$227
Curitiba
$200 11.7% $27
Accommodation & Living
Guarulhos
$158
Curitiba
$304 92.3% $146
Eating Out
Guarulhos
$155
Curitiba
$152 1.8% $2.8
Clothing & Footwear
Guarulhos
$132
Curitiba
$130 1.9% $2.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guarulhos
$129
Curitiba
$143 11.2% $14
Getting Around
Guarulhos
$115
Curitiba
$81 29.6% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Guarulhos
$48
Curitiba
$45 7.9% $3.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Guarulhos and $515 in Curitiba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Curitiba pays 82% 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: $40.00 in Guarulhos vs $39.00 in Curitiba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $200 per month, with Curitiba cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Guarulhos
🇧🇷 Curitiba
🕒 Local time
11:23 11:23 AM
11:23 11:23 AM
Same time as Guarulhos
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,291,771
1,773,718
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guarulhos Curitiba 350 km
From you
  • Guarulhos
  • Curitiba

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Guarulhos vs Curitiba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Guarulhos or Curitiba?
Guarulhos wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Curitiba. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guarulhos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Guarulhos or in Curitiba?
On paper, salaries run 82% lower in Curitiba. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Guarulhos compared to Curitiba?
Rent for a central apartment: $349 in Guarulhos versus $515 in Curitiba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Guarulhos compared to Curitiba?
A monthly transit pass in Guarulhos runs roughly 48% less than in Curitiba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Guarulhos and in Curitiba?
Childcare runs $429 in Guarulhos versus $383 in Curitiba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Guarulhos or in Curitiba?
At $964 in Guarulhos versus $1,055 in Curitiba, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guarulhos but tight or insufficient in Curitiba. The gap between the two cities makes Guarulhos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Guarulhos or Curitiba?
Both work as nomad bases, but Guarulhos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $964 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guarulhos hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Guarulhos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Curitiba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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