Curitiba vs Puerto Varas

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

The 2024 census counted 52,942 people in the commune of Puerto Varas. Next door is Puerto Montt with 277,040 people, the airport and a large hospital.

OfficialINE: first results of the 2024 census for the Los Lagos region · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

A two-bedroom apartment is 650–750 thousand pesos a month (about 720 dollars). A three-bedroom house is mostly 620 thousand to 1.3 million, median 900 thousand.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: apartments for long-term rent in Puerto Varas, all 55 listings · checked 6 Oct 2026

A 5,000 m² plot (parcela de agrado) in listings costs 41–136 million pesos, median about 76 million (78 thousand dollars). In gated communities 100–300 million.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: plots (parcelas) for sale in the commune of Puerto Varas, first five pages (50 listings out of 260) · checked 6 Oct 2026

A three-bedroom house in listings costs 243–370 million pesos, median about 327 million (336 thousand dollars). There are few offers under 200 million.

SpecialistChilepropiedades: houses for sale in the commune of Puerto Varas, first five pages (50 listings out of 305) · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

The minimum food basket costs 92,327 pesos per person a month, about 369 thousand for four (380 dollars). The figure is national.

OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026

The poverty line for a family of four without rent is 671,031 pesos a month. With rent, food, electricity and internet it comes to about 1.1–1.4 million, without heating.

OfficialChile's Ministry of Social Development: cost of the basic food basket and poverty lines, August 2026 report · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

The town has the German School and Colegio Puerto Varas. They do not publish tuition openly; only the application fee is visible: 1.5–2 UF.

OfficialColegio Alemán de Puerto Varas: letter to applicant families, admission for 2027 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

The town has the accredited private high-complexity Clínica Puerto Varas. A large public hospital is in neighbouring Puerto Montt.

OfficialSuperintendencia de Salud: register of accredited healthcare providers in the Los Lagos region · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

Nearest airport: El Tepual near Puerto Montt, flights to Santiago by LATAM, Sky and JetSMART. By bus Santiago is 899 km, from 11 h 20 min, from 16 thousand pesos.

SpecialistCheckMyBus: buses Santiago – Puerto Varas, timetable and prices · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

The mean temperature in July 2026 near Puerto Montt was 6.2 °C: about 11 by day, about 2–3 at night. Frosts are common; the coldest night was minus 4.5 °C.

OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: July 2026 temperature, El Tepual Puerto Montt Ap. station, code 410005 · checked 6 Oct 2026

The 1991–2020 normal is about 1,566 mm a year, with rain in every month: from 69 mm in February to 213 mm in June. 2025 had 160 days with at least 1 mm.

OfficialChilean Meteorological Office: 2025 rainfall and the 1991–2020 normal, El Tepual Puerto Montt Ap. station, code 410005 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

In 2025 the commune of Puerto Varas had two homicides, neighbouring Puerto Montt 16. The Los Lagos region had 4.5 per 100 thousand residents against 5.4 nationally.

OfficialReport on homicide victims in Chile for 2025, with figures by region and commune (published on the Fiscalía website) · checked 6 Oct 2026

The Calbuco and Osorno volcanoes are nearby. SENAPRED has a separate evacuation plan for Puerto Varas in case of a Calbuco eruption and a plan for the Osorno volcano.

OfficialSENAPRED: evacuation plans for the Los Lagos region, including for volcanic eruptions · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

Fibre from 12,990 pesos a month on promotion; the median price after the promotion is 26,990 (about 28 dollars). Tariffs are national; availability is checked by address.

SpecialistRedify: catalogue of home fibre internet plans in Chile, October 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

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

SAESA electricity from 1 October 2026: 264.8 pesos per kWh with IVA plus 1,242 a month. 300 kWh is about 80.7 thousand pesos (83 dollars), cheaper than Valparaíso.

OfficialSAESA: electricity tariffs for regulated customers from 1 October 2026, table by commune · checked 6 Oct 2026