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City comparison

Curitiba vs Mérida

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Curitiba cheaper — −32%

  • Internet

    in Curitiba cheaper — −60%

  • Private school

    in Curitiba cheaper — −20%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Curitiba≈ $650–767R$3,260–3,850
    cheaper by 32%
    Mérida≈ $828–1,270MX$15k – 22,925
  • Internet

    per month
    Curitiba≈ $20R$99.9
    cheaper by 60%
    Mérida≈ $21–77MX$389–1,399
  • Private school

    per month
    Curitiba≈ $352R$1,765
    cheaper by 20%
    Mérida≈ $221–663MX$4,000 – 12k
  • Winter

    average
    Curitiba9–20 °C9–20 °C
    Mérida17–31 °C17–31 °C
  • Summer

    average
    Curitiba18–27 °C18–27 °C
    Mérida21–36 °C21–36 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Curitiba1,631 mm1,631 mm
    Mérida1,050 mm1,050 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Curitiba≈ $149–335kR$750k – 1.68M
    cheaper by 12%
    Mérida≈ $221–331kMX$4–6M

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Daily life

Curitiba

City size

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

Everything about daily life in Curitiba →

Mérida

Who lives here

By the 2020 census the municipality of Mérida has 995 thousand residents, the city itself 922 thousand. 19% of residents were born in another Mexican state.

OfficialINEGI: 2020 census, results by locality for Yucatán (ITER) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Spread by neighborhood

A two-bedroom in Temozón Norte is mostly 15-17k pesos for 70-100 m², in Altabrisa 32-38k, in Montejo 21-27k, in Cholul and Villas del Sol 11.5-15k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about daily life in Mérida →

Housing

Curitiba

Two-bedroom rent

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

Rent: price per meter

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

Buying a house or apartment

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

Everything about housing in Curitiba →

Mérida

Long-term rent

A two-bedroom apartment in listings is about 16,750 pesos a month, half between 15,000 and 22,900. Of 311 offers, 61 are under 15k and 116 above 20k.

SpecialistMercado Libre: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Buying a house

Three-bedroom house: 1034 listings up to 4M pesos, 1355 from 4 to 6M, 1475 above. First-page median 6.65M, about 23k per square meter.

SpecialistMercado Libre: three-bedroom houses for sale in Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

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Money and prices

Curitiba

Groceries for a family

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

Monthly family budget

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

Everything about money and prices in Curitiba →

Mérida

Groceries for a family

INEGI's urban food basket is 2562.58 pesos per person a month, 10,250 for a family of four (August 2026). A nationwide figure, the food minimum.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Family budget per month

INEGI's urban poverty line is 4905.33 pesos per person, 19,621 a month for a family of four (August 2026). A floor without rent, not a real budget.

OfficialINEGI: income poverty lines, August 2026 (bulletin 592/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about money and prices in Mérida →

Family and kids

Curitiba

Schools and kindergartens

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

Private schools: prices

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

Everything about family and kids in Curitiba →

Mérida

Private schools

Micole's estimate for Yucatán: primary school 4000-12,000 pesos a month, kindergarten 3000-8000, international and IB schools 15,000-35,000. Plus an annual fee.

SpecialistMicole: how much a private school costs in Yucatán in 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about family and kids in Mérida →

Healthcare

Curitiba

Hospitals and giving birth

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

Everything about healthcare in Curitiba →

Mérida

Private hospitals

According to INEGI, Mérida has 13 private medical facilities with 337 beds (2025). Guadalajara, for comparison, has 76 and 1473. Public hospitals not counted.

OfficialINEGI: statistics of private health facilities (ESEP) 2025, report 28/26 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Mérida →

Transport

Curitiba

Gasoline

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

Airport and buses

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

Everything about transport in Curitiba →

Mérida

Roads and airport

The airport is 7 km from the main square, about 9 minutes without traffic. In August 2026: 374 thousand passengers, almost all domestic, 35 thousand international.

OfficialASUR: airport passenger traffic for August 2026 (filing on the BMV stock exchange) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Mérida →

Climate

Curitiba

Winter

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

Summer

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

Precipitation and seasons

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

Everything about climate in Curitiba →

Mérida

Heat

The hottest month is May: on average 36.1 degrees by day and 21.3 at night. From April to September the mean maximum is 34-36 degrees.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Rainfall and seasons

About 1050 mm a year, 71% of it from June to October, 120-175 mm a month. March and April are the driest, about 25 mm.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Winter

The coolest month is January: on average 31.3 degrees by day and 17 at night. There is no winter as such; it is the mildest time of the year.

OfficialWMO World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Mérida · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Mérida →

Safety

Curitiba

Crime in the city

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

Everything about safety in Curitiba →

Mérida

Hurricanes

The last strong hit was Isidore in September 2002: it made landfall as a category 3 near Telchac, and its eyewall passed over Mérida. Milton in 2024 passed by at sea.

OfficialNHC: Tropical Cyclone Report, Hurricane Isidore (AL102002) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Safety in statistics

In June 2026, 38.2% of adults in Mérida felt unsafe versus 59.8% nationwide. Homicides in 2024: 33, about 3 per 100,000 residents.

OfficialINEGI: ENSU, perceived safety by city, June 2026 (report 27/26) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about safety in Mérida →

Internet and phone

Curitiba

Home internet

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

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Mérida

Internet per month

Telmex: from 389 pesos for 120 Mbps to 1399 for a gigabit. Totalplay 100 Mbps for 390, Megacable 1000 Mbps for 1000 pesos on promotion. Prices are nationwide.

SpecialistExpansión: Telmex, Totalplay, Megacable and Izzi internet packages, September 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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Services

Curitiba

Gas: Compagas and bottle

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

Electricity: Copel tariff

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

Water: Sanepar tariff

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

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Mérida

Water: JAPAY tariff

JAPAY water from 1 Feb 2026: up to 20 m³ a flat charge by city zone, 67-107 pesos. 15 m³ costs 99-104 pesos, with sewerage (plus 50%) 149-156.

OfficialJAPAY: water and sewerage tariffs from 1 February 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

LP gas: price cap

LP gas price cap in Mérida for 27 Sep - 3 Oct 2026: 20.66 pesos per kg, 11.16 per liter. A 20 kg cylinder at the cap is about 413 pesos.

OfficialComisión Nacional de Energía: maximum LP gas prices from 27 September to 3 October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Electricity at the CFE tariff

Yucatán has the hot-climate CFE tariffs 1C and 1D: cheap kWh up to 850-1000 a month, summer relief until 31 October. 1000 kWh over two months on 1D costs 2255 pesos.

SpecialistRiviera Maya News: a proposal to move Yucatán to CFE tariff 1F · checked 6 Oct 2026

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