Cost of Living Comparison Between Loja and Nova Friburgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Loja and Nova Friburgo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $752 per month in Loja vs $733 in Nova Friburgo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,104 per month in Loja vs $1,198 in Nova Friburgo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,456 per month in Loja vs $1,663 in Nova Friburgo, rent included.

Loja costs about 3% more than Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Loja and Nova Friburgo are more affordable than the global median – Loja 44% lower, Nova Friburgo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 $2.96

$7.15 R$36.20

-58.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.63 $19.63

$31.81 R$161

-38.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 $7.17

$5.90 R$29.88

21.53%

Cappuccino

$1.85 $1.85

$1.90 R$9.62

-2.63%

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

$0.65 $0.65

$0.80 R$4.05

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.48 R$2.43

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.67 R$8.45

-41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.66 R$13.48

-24.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.91 R$4.62

13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.78 R$9.02

-24.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.46 R$7.41

7.53%

Eggs

$1.87 $1.87

$2.00 R$10.11

-6.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$8.00 R$40.48

-30.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.67 R$18.56

24.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$8.08 R$40.92

-23.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.40 R$7.08

-2.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.57 R$7.97

-38.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.51 R$7.65

-35.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.57 R$7.93

-31.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.30 R$6.56

-38.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.15 R$5.81

-28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.69 R$3.50

-31.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.61 R$3.08

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 $5.92

$2.00 R$10.11

196.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$6.09 R$30.86

16.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.27 R$6.45

17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.06 R$10.45

38.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.91 R$4.61

-68.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.70 $39.70

$38.86 R$197

2.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 $0.67

$1.06 R$5.39

-36.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.47 R$2.36

106.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.24 $13.24

$5.99 R$30.31

121.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.03 R$5.20

-38.83%

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

$14.8K $14.8K

$14.2K R$71.8K

4.11%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$25.3K R$128.2K

14.95%

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

$20.16 $20.16

$36.60 R$185

-44.92%

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

$10.38 $10.38

$8.52 R$43.12

21.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.38 $28.38

$17.15 R$86.9

65.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.36 $34.36

$20.17 R$102

70.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.47 $14.47

$21.99 R$111

-34.20%

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 $7.40

$6.46 R$32.69

14.55%

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

$182 $182

$545 R$2,760

-66.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,030 $2,030

$11.8K R$59.7K

-82.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$44.96 R$228

23.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.95 $49.95

$41.34 R$209

20.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 $83.4

$62.2 R$315

34.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.3 $65.3

$62.0 R$314

5.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 $288

$311 R$1,573

-7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 $232

$218 R$1,102

6.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 $419

$583 R$2,950

-28.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 $329

$433 R$2,193

-24.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$562 $562

$1,615 R$8,179

-65.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$498 $498

$808 R$4,090

-38.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$495 $495

$510 R$2,585

-3.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

-11.74%

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

Last update for Loja: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $288 in Loja versus $311 in Nova Friburgo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Nova Friburgo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Loja versus $32.00 in Nova Friburgo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $164 vs $177 – making Loja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Loja vs Nova Friburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $752 in Loja, $733 in Nova Friburgo – roughly 3% apart. Loja costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,128 per month in Loja and $1,099 in Nova Friburgo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nova Friburgo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Nova Friburgo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $182 per month in Loja and $545 in Nova Friburgo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $752 in Loja and $733 in Nova Friburgo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Nova Friburgo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Nova Friburgo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Loja makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.