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 $683 per month in Loja vs $584 in Nova Friburgo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,065 per month in Loja vs $982 in Nova Friburgo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,448 per month in Loja vs $1,379 in Nova Friburgo, rent included.

Loja costs about 17% more than Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Loja and Nova Friburgo are more affordable than the global median – Loja 50% lower, Nova Friburgo 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 $2.98

$5.92 R$30.21

-49.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.53 $20.53

$28.69 R$146

-28.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 $5.62

$6.36 R$32.44

-11.64%

Cappuccino

$2.22 $2.22

$1.65 R$8.40

34.55%

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

$0.74 $0.74

$0.91 R$4.63

-18.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

$0.51 R$2.62

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.19 R$6.07

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.29 R$11.66

31.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.93 R$4.75

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.46 R$7.45

0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.32 R$6.71

-0.76%

Eggs

$1.94 $1.94

$1.88 R$9.58

3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$8.92 R$45.51

-39.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$3.27 R$16.68

28.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$9.58 R$48.83

-36.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.57 R$8.01

8.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.11 R$5.64

-5.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.95 R$4.82

21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.25 R$6.35

-13.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.67 R$3.44

56.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.79 R$4.02

29.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.54 R$2.76

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.79 R$4.02

37.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 $5.34

$1.53 R$7.79

249.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$5.72 R$29.17

21.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.94 R$4.79

74.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.32 R$6.74

140.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.98 R$5.01

-65.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.45 $29.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.14 R$5.79

-14.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.49 R$2.51

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 $10.18

$6.60 R$33.67

54.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.22 R$6.24

-40.16%

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

$15.1K $15.1K

$18.6K R$95.1K

-19.24%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$30.4K R$154.8K

-4.66%

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

$20.31 $20.31

$39.23 R$200

-48.23%

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

$10.44 $10.44

$9.23 R$47.05

13.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.76 $26.76

$18.43 R$94.0

45.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.66 $29.66

$21.40 R$109

38.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 $14.57

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 $7.18

$6.34 R$32.32

13.25%

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

$178 $178

$140 R$714

27.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,006 $2,006

$2,496 R$12.7K

-19.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 $54.2

$68.6 R$350

-21.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.92 $46.92

$81.1 R$414

-42.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$64.1 R$327

25.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.4 $73.4

$45.53 R$232

61.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 $243

$156 R$795

55.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 $175

$96.6 R$493

80.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 $387

$390 R$1,990

-0.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 $299

$228 R$1,163

31.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$544 $544

$1,523 R$7,766

-64.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 $323

$770 R$3,929

-58.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 $489

$488 R$2,487

0.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

10.67

-20.34%

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

Last update for Loja: September 1, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in Loja versus $156 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 0% higher in Loja, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Loja versus $29.00 in Nova Friburgo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $167 – 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: $683 in Loja, $584 in Nova Friburgo – roughly 17% apart. Loja costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,024 per month in Loja and $876 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Loja and $29.00 in Nova Friburgo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Loja – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $683 in Loja and $584 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.