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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Nova Friburgo is about 3% cheaper than Loja, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 R$36.20

$2.96 $2.96

141.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.81 R$161

$19.63 $19.63

62.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.90 R$29.88

$7.17 $7.17

-17.71%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.62

$1.85 $1.85

2.70%

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

$0.80 R$4.05

$0.65 $0.65

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 R$2.43

$0.46 $0.46

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 R$8.45

$0.98 $0.98

70.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 R$13.48

$2.02 $2.02

31.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 R$4.62

$1.03 $1.03

-11.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 R$9.02

$1.34 $1.34

32.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$1.57 $1.57

-7.01%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$1.87 $1.87

6.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.00 R$40.48

$5.60 $5.60

42.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.67 R$18.56

$4.56 $4.56

-19.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.08 R$40.92

$6.17 $6.17

30.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.08

$1.37 $1.37

2.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.97

$0.96 $0.96

63.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.65

$0.97 $0.97

55.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.93

$1.08 $1.08

45.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.56

$0.80 $0.80

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.81

$0.82 $0.82

40.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.50

$0.47 $0.47

46.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.08

$1.07 $1.07

-42.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.11

$5.92 $5.92

-66.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 R$30.86

$7.08 $7.08

-13.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.45

$1.49 $1.49

-14.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 R$10.45

$2.85 $2.85

-27.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 R$4.61

$0.29 $0.29

213.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.86 R$197

$39.70 $39.70

-2.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.39

$0.67 $0.67

58.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 R$2.36

$0.97 $0.97

-51.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 R$30.31

$13.24 $13.24

-54.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.20

$0.63 $0.63

63.49%

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

$14.2K R$71.8K

$14.8K $14.8K

-3.95%

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

$25.3K R$128.2K

$29.1K $29.1K

-13.01%

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

$36.60 R$185

$20.16 $20.16

81.55%

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

$8.52 R$43.12

$10.38 $10.38

-17.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 R$86.9

$28.38 $28.38

-39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.17 R$102

$34.36 $34.36

-41.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.99 R$111

$14.47 $14.47

51.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 R$32.69

$7.40 $7.40

-12.70%

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

$545 R$2,760

$182 $182

199.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.7K

$2,030 $2,030

480.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.96 R$228

$55.6 $55.6

-19.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.34 R$209

$49.95 $49.95

-17.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.2 R$315

$83.4 $83.4

-25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$314

$65.3 $65.3

-5.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$311 R$1,573

$288 $288

7.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,102

$232 $232

-6.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 R$2,950

$419 $419

39.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,193

$329 $329

31.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,615 R$8,179

$562 $562

187.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$808 R$4,090

$498 $498

62.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$510 R$2,585

$495 $495

3.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

13.30%

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

Last update for Nova Friburgo: June 1, 2026

Last update for Loja: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $311 in Nova Friburgo versus $288 in Loja. 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 $32.00 in Nova Friburgo versus $20.00 in Loja. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $164 – 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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,099 per month in Nova Friburgo and $1,128 in Loja. 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 $545 per month in Nova Friburgo and $182 in Loja. 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 $733 in Nova Friburgo and $752 in Loja, 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.