Mendoza vs Curitiba
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Rent
✓in Mendoza cheaper — −35%
Family groceries
✓in Mendoza cheaper — −18%
Private school
✓in Mendoza cheaper — −80%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
House or apartment rent
per month✓Mendoza≈ $425–492ARS 665–770kcheaper by 35%Curitiba≈ $650–767R$3,260–3,850Piped gas
✓Mendoza≈ $0.19 per m³ARS 291.32 per m³cheaper by 90%Curitiba≈ $1.8 per m³R$9.05 per m³Family groceries
per month✓Mendoza≈ $392ARS 614,072cheaper by 18%Curitiba≈ $478R$2,397Private school
per month✓Mendoza≈ $26–118ARS 40,417–183,910cheaper by 80%Curitiba≈ $352R$1,765Winter
averageMendoza9 °C9 °CCuritiba9–20 °C9–20 °CSummer
averageMendoza26 °C26 °CCuritiba18–27 °C18–27 °CPrecipitation
per yearMendoza240 mm240 mmCuritiba1,631 mm1,631 mmReady-made house
purchase✓Mendoza$94,500 – 295k$94,500 – 295kcheaper by 20%Curitiba≈ $149–335kR$750k – 1.68M
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Daily life
Mendoza
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
Mendoza
A flat with two bedrooms: Guaymallén about 665k pesos a month, Ciudad 700k, Godoy Cruz 770k. Expensas and utilities on top.
SpecialistMercado Libre - two-bedroom apartments for rent, Ciudad (city of Mendoza) · checked 29 Sep 2026
A three-bedroom house in Greater Mendoza – about 1.2 million pesos a month. In the gated communities of Chacras de Coria, Luján and Dalvian they ask 1,500–2,000 dollars.
SpecialistMercado Libre - three-bedroom houses for rent, Mendoza province · checked 29 Sep 2026
A plot of 500–1,300 m² in Chacras de Coria usually costs 61–83k dollars, median 69k. That is about 100 dollars per square metre.
SpecialistMercado Libre - plots for sale in Chacras de Coria (Luján de Cuyo) · checked 29 Sep 2026
A three-bedroom house: in Godoy Cruz the median is about 95k dollars, in Chacras de Coria about 295k. The difference between the districts is about threefold.
SpecialistMercado Libre - three-bedroom houses for sale, Godoy Cruz · checked 29 Sep 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
Mendoza
The minimum food basket for a family of four in Greater Mendoza is 614k pesos a month (August 2026). Up 43% over the year.
OfficialDEIE Mendoza - basic food basket and total basket for Greater Mendoza, August 2026 (press release) · checked 29 Sep 2026
The poverty line for a family of four is 1.47 million pesos a month (August 2026), rent not included. With a rented two-bedroom flat the total starts at 2.1–2.2 million.
OfficialDEIE Mendoza - basic food basket and total basket for Greater Mendoza, August 2026 (press release) · checked 29 Sep 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
Mendoza
Schools with state support from August 2026: primary 40–162k pesos a month, median 81k; secondary 50–184k, median about 100k.
OfficialDGE Mendoza - fee for each private school with state subsidy from August 2026 (Resolución 140/2026, annex) · checked 29 Sep 2026
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
Mendoza
With residency, provincial hospitals are free, as for Argentines. Without it, since August 2024 elective care has been paid, emergency care is free.
SpecialistADN País - Mendoza and fees for medical care for non-resident foreigners · checked 29 Sep 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
Mendoza
The main road to Chile over the Cristo Redentor pass was closed for 34 days in a row from 14 July in winter 2026. For trips between July and September, plan with a margin.
SpecialistInfobae - Cristo Redentor pass closed again after 34 days of full closure · checked 29 Sep 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
Mendoza
The average July temperature is 8.6 degrees: about 15 by day, about 2 at night. Night frosts are frequent, down to -3.5 on the coldest nights. Winter is dry, snow is a rarity.
SpecialistClimates to Travel - climate of Mendoza, 1991-2020 normals · checked 29 Sep 2026
The average January temperature is 26 degrees, about 33 by day. On hot days it reaches 39, the record is 44.4. Nights are noticeably cooler – about 19.
SpecialistClimates to Travel - climate of Mendoza, 1991-2020 normals · checked 29 Sep 2026
About 240 mm a year – an arid climate. Most in January (47 mm, thunderstorms), least in July (5 mm). About 2,970 hours of sun a year.
SpecialistClimates to Travel - climate of Mendoza, 1991-2020 normals · checked 29 Sep 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
Nature
Mendoza
According to the irrigation department's forecast, the Mendoza river will deliver 61% of an average year's water in the 2025–2026 season. Before that there were 10–12 years of drought, which the authorities call the new normal.
OfficialDepartamento General de Irrigación - river runoff forecast for Mendoza for the 2025-2026 season · checked 29 Sep 2026
Curitiba
Nothing yet
Safety
Mendoza
The north of Mendoza with Greater Mendoza is zone 4, the highest seismic hazard in the country (INPRES). The 1861 earthquake destroyed the whole city.
OfficialINPRES - update of Argentina's seismic hazard map and the current zoning · checked 29 Sep 2026
Mendoza province, 2025: 65 victims of intentional homicide, 3.2 per 100k residents; in 2024 it was 71 and 3.5. There is no separate figure for the city.
OfficialSNIC - victims of intentional homicide and their rate per 100k residents, Mendoza province · checked 29 Sep 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
Mendoza
The local provider Wiber offers symmetric fibre up to 1,000 Mbps in Ciudad, Godoy Cruz, Guaymallén, Maipú, Luján and Chacras de Coria.
SpecialistWiber - home fiber plans and coverage zones in Greater Mendoza · checked 29 Sep 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
Mendoza
Without subsidies, electricity is about 113k pesos a month, gas 65k, water about 35k – roughly 213k in total. Electricity is 20% more expensive than the national average.
SpecialistEl Sol, citing the Observatorio de Tarifas y Subsidios IIEP (UBA-CONICET) - electricity and gas in Mendoza versus the national average, September 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Edemsa electricity without a subsidy: 240–280 pesos per kWh plus a fixed charge, billed every two months. 300 kWh a month: 85–97k pesos (55–63 dollars), depending on the category.
OfficialEPRE Mendoza: annex I to resolution 189/2026, Edemsa cuadro tarifario, in effect from 1 September 2026 · checked 30 Sep 2026
Ecogas gas in Mendoza without a subsidy: 291 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge of 7.5k (R1), without taxes. 100 m³ in winter – about 36.7k pesos (24 dollars).
OfficialENReGE (formerly ENARGAS): natural gas tariffs of all distributors from 1 September 2026 (Excel), Distribuidora de Gas Cuyana, Mendoza · checked 30 Sep 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

