Cuenca vs Curitiba
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Rent
✓in Cuenca cheaper — −24%
Family groceries
✓in Cuenca cheaper — −24%
Internet
✓in Curitiba cheaper — −41%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
House or apartment rent
per month✓Cuenca$350–720$350–720cheaper by 24%Curitiba≈ $650–767R$3,260–3,850Family groceries
per month✓Cuenca$362$362cheaper by 24%Curitiba≈ $478R$2,397Internet
per monthCuenca$33.93$33.93✓Curitiba≈ $20R$99.9cheaper by 41%Winter
averageCuenca10–19 °C10–19 °CCuritiba9–20 °C9–20 °CPrecipitation
per yearCuenca876 mm876 mmCuritiba1,631 mm1,631 mmReady-made house
purchase✓Cuenca$121,250–284,750$121,250–284,750cheaper by 16%Curitiba≈ $149–335kR$750k – 1.68M
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Daily life
Cuenca
Nothing yet
Curitiba
By the IBGE estimate Curitiba has 1.83 million residents in 2026, and growth has almost stopped: plus 1,400 people over the year. The 2022 census counted 1.77 million.
OfficialIBGE: population estimate for Curitiba, 2024-2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Housing
Cuenca
A house with three or more bedrooms in the canton of Cuenca on RE/MAX listings is mostly 121-285k dollars, median 180k. An apartment with three or more bedrooms: median 192k.
SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of houses for sale (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
A three-bedroom apartment on RE/MAX listings is 350-540 dollars a month, a furnished two-bedroom up to 720. There are few listings, only 8 apartments.
SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of apartments for rent (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Curitiba
By listings, a two-bedroom is about 3,260 reais a month in Bigorrilho, 3,300 in Portão, 3,850 in Água Verde. Building fee and tax extra. Few listings.
SpecialistQuintoAndar: rentals with two or more bedrooms, Bigorrilho · checked 6 Oct 2026
49.11 reais per m² a month in August 2026, 14th of 22 capitals, a quarter cheaper than São Paulo. Rent rose 9.5% over the year.
SpecialistFipeZAP Index: residential rent, August 2026 report, Curitiba page · checked 6 Oct 2026
An apartment averages 11,766 reais per m² (September 2026). A house with three or more bedrooms in Água Verde is listed at 0.75-1.68 million reais.
SpecialistFipeZAP Index: historical series of sale and rent prices, Curitiba sheet · checked 6 Oct 2026
Money and prices
Cuenca
In INEC's official basket for a family of four in Cuenca, food and drinks cost 362 dollars a month (August 2026), of which 42 is eating out.
OfficialINEC: basic family consumption basket (CFBC) by city, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
INEC's poverty line for a family of four is 370 dollars a month. INEC's basic basket for four in Cuenca is 894, the dearest in the country, with 219 for rent.
OfficialINEC: bulletin on income poverty, ENEMDU, December 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Curitiba
The DIEESE basic basket in August 2026 was 798.87 reais per adult, 11% cheaper than São Paulo. For a family of two adults and two children, about 2,400.
SpecialistDIEESE: national survey of the basic food basket, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
DIEESE estimates a family of four needed 7,566 reais a month in August 2026. The figure is national and already includes housing; it does not reflect Curitiba rents.
SpecialistDIEESE: nominal and necessary minimum wage by month · checked 6 Oct 2026
Family and kids
Cuenca
Nothing yet
Curitiba
In 2025 there were 501 schools with grades 1-9; 30% of pupils attend private schools. Nurseries (creche): 640 facilities, 225 of them municipal.
OfficialIBGE Cidades from the INEP school census: schools and pupils in Curitiba, 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
A private school averages about 1,765 reais a month on a scholarship platform, range 430-3,100. These are participating schools at a discount; the market is pricier.
SpecialistMelhor Escola: monthly fees of private schools in Curitiba (scholarship platform) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Healthcare
Cuenca
The IESS social security Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga is a third-level hospital with adult and paediatric ICU. It treats IESS members and patients of the public network.
OfficialIESS: Hospital de Especialidades José Carrasco Arteaga, home page · checked 6 Oct 2026
Curitiba
Hospital de Clínicas: 609 beds, all SUS. SUS maternity hospitals: Victor Ferreira do Amaral and Mater Dei; private: Maternidade Curitiba. Children's: Pequeno Príncipe.
OfficialBrazil Ministry of Health, open data "Hospitals and beds": Hospital de Clínicas record · checked 6 Oct 2026
Transport
Cuenca
Mariscal La Mar airport is right in the city, on Avenida España. The flight to Quito takes about 55 minutes, to Guayaquil 35. Runway 1900 m at about 2530 m altitude.
OfficialCuenca airport (CORPAC): technical data · checked 6 Oct 2026
Curitiba
Regular gasoline in Curitiba in the week of 27 September - 3 October 2026 averaged 6.78 reais per liter (6.39 to 6.89), per the ANP survey of 48 stations.
OfficialANP: weekly survey of fuel and bottled gas prices by municipality, 27 September - 3 October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Afonso Pena airport (CWB) is in São José dos Pinhais, 18 km from the center. The city has 81 km of dedicated bus corridors; we could not confirm the fare.
SpecialistWikipedia: Afonso Pena International Airport (CWB) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Climate
Cuenca
In June-August nights are 9-10 degrees and days 19-20. These are the coolest months; the rest of the year days are 20-22 and nights 10-11.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026
About 880 mm a year, and it rains often: 12 to 21 days a month. Driest in July-August (20-28 mm), wettest in March-April.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Curitiba
July is the coolest month: on average from 9.3 at night to 20.1 in the day, colder than São Paulo and Florianópolis. There is no dry winter season.
OfficialINMET: climate normals 1991-2020, monthly minimum temperature · checked 6 Oct 2026
February is the warmest month: on average from 17.8 at night to 27.2 in the day. January is the wettest, 226 mm.
OfficialINMET: climate normals 1991-2020, monthly minimum temperature · checked 6 Oct 2026
About 1,630 mm a year. The heaviest rain falls in January-February (190-226 mm), but even the driest month, August, gets 82 mm: there is no dry season.
OfficialINMET: climate normals 1991-2020, monthly and annual precipitation · checked 6 Oct 2026
Safety
Cuenca
Cuenca is not in the state of emergency zone from 15 Sep 2026: in Azuay province only the canton of Camilo Ponce Enríquez is included. Forest fires are frequent in Azuay.
OfficialUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: travel advice for Ecuador · checked 6 Oct 2026
Curitiba
In January-September 2025 there were 118 homicides versus 125 a year earlier, robberies 4,537 (down 16%). Most killings in CIC, Sítio Cercado and Tatuquara.
SpecialistTribuna PR: crime in Curitiba in January-September 2025, SESP data · checked 6 Oct 2026
Internet and phone
Cuenca
Netlife sells 850 Mbit/s fibre for 33.93 dollars a month including tax, 16.96 on promotion. The municipal ETAPA sells plans from 19.99 dollars plus taxes.
SpecialistNetlife: home fibre-optic internet plans · checked 6 Oct 2026
Curitiba
Claro in Curitiba offers 750 Mbps fiber for 99.90 reais a month (promotion). The page also lists 350 Mbps, 1, 5 and 10 Gbps plans without prices.
SpecialistClaro: home fiber internet in Curitiba, plans and the 750 Mbps offer · checked 6 Oct 2026
Services
Cuenca
Electricity is 0.091-0.105 dollars per kWh by block plus 1.41 a month. 300 kWh comes to about 30 dollars before the street lighting and fire service charges.
OfficialRegistro Oficial No. 380, 9th supplement: resolution ARCONEL-009/2026, electricity tariffs for October-December 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Water is 0.60 dollars per m³ up to 10 m³, then 0.70, plus 3.32 a month; sewerage is half the water bill. 15 m³ comes to about 19 dollars (2024 tariff).
OfficialETAPA EP: water and sewerage tariffs 2024 (brochure "Conoce nuestras tarifas") · checked 6 Oct 2026
Curitiba
Compagas piped gas from 1 August 2026: 18.30 reais a month plus tiers of 2.29-9.05 per m³ before taxes. 30 m³ is about 213. A 13 kg bottle is 112.97 per ANP.
OfficialAgepar Resolution 49 of 5 August 2026: Compagas piped gas tariffs from 1 August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Copel from 24 June 2026: 0.768 reais per kWh before taxes. For 300 kWh that is 230.41 reais before taxes, about 310 with taxes by the calculator site's estimate.
SpecialistEnergy calculator: Copel residential tariff from 24 June 2026 (based on ANEEL data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Sanepar: the first 5 m³ of water plus sewage cost 101.91 reais, then 3.15 and 17.56 per m³. For 15 m³ about 205 reais, with the October 2026 discount about 180.
OfficialSanepar: current water and sewage tariffs, residential tariff, Curitiba · checked 6 Oct 2026

