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Pros and Cons of Living in Curitiba: A Digital Nomad’s Unfiltered Take

@Olivia Dawn2/8/2026blog

well, i’ll be honest, i didn’t think moving to curitiba would feel like this. like, here i am typing this from a co-working space that smells like cheap espresso and someone’s questionable air freshener. do i regret it? sometimes. but mostly i’m over it. let me break this down like a drunk mathematician over too many lattes.

first, the goods. curitiba’s not the neon city everyone makes it out to be. no glitz, no subway systems (ok, it has one, but it’s more art installation than practicality). what it does have? safety. the crime rate here is like… mild. i’ve left my laptop in a park bench in centro and come back with 3 ants and a vine slobbering on it. stats show violent crime is down 20% in five years. cool. also, rent? real talk. if you’re not in centro, a one-bedroom apartment goes for $400 a month. that’s half of what it costs in boston. i checked numbeo while buying street tacos. data’s solid.

but hey, it’s a trade-off. the job market? i work remotely here, so curitiba’s economy isn’t my main gig. but locals say the tech scene is… eh. remote opportunities are there, but you gotta hustle. i found a job through a reddit post about ‘remote work in brazil.’ link: https://www.reddit.com/r/digitalnomads/comments/abc123/curitiba_things_you_should_know_before_moving/ ironic, right?

now here’s where it gets messy. traffic. yes, the buses are legendary-how could they not be? they’re like a floating art exhibit. but the traffic? it’s brazilian. imagine if your city stalled because a guy in a pickup truck wanted to honk at a bird. i’ve missed work because a Uber got stuck in a 10-mile-long jam near iateó. solution? rent a scooter. they go 40 mph and cost $15 a day. chaos solved.

overheard gossip? let me spill: someone on yelp swears the water in the city’s reservoirs tastes like metal. i’ve had two showers there. one came out smelling like kelp. another like a forgotten gym sock. drink bottled if you’re paranoid. link: https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=water-treatment&l=v موجب

weather? it’s humid enough to make a cactus sweat. right now? muggy as hell. 80% chance of rain. perfect for wondering why your pants feel glued together. but hey, the beach cities like bancó are an hour inland. if you’re done with humidity, you can drive to there. or just live with it. i stick to yoga classes held in converted warehouses with AC. link: https://www.tripadvisor.com/activity/123456/yoga-classes

cons? the nightlife. curitiba isn’t NYC. there’s bars, sure. but they close at 2 am. locales one warned me, ‘drink here, and you’re either in a club or talking to a minivan.’ i tried a craft beer joint. it was 90% hipsters debating the ethics of quinoa farming. weird, but not wrong.

another thing? the passport. brazil’s a nightmare for travelers. i had to bribe a cop with a 50 reais note at the airport to get my visa stamped. don’t ask me why. just keep your documents pristine. link: https://www.expatriates.nl/threads/brazil-visa-issues.12345

pro tip: the bus system. yes, it’s kitsch. but it works. the onibus rapsódio? it’s like a giant yellow bus that connects you to everything. affordability wins here. tip: say ‘oi’ to the driver. sometimes they’ll let you skip a stop if you’re lost. or not. either way, fun.

curitiba’s not for everyone. if you need a buzzing nightlife or a city that doesn’t flood every friday, look elsewhere. but if you’re code-switching between work and terraza at 7 pm, this place is your vibe. also, there’s a red flower field near the university. take one pic, leave with a heart. it’s real. link: https://unsplash.com/photos/red-flower-field

so yeah. i’d do it again. but only if i get a refund for that one traffic nightmare. maybe.

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About the author: Olivia Dawn

Writing with intent and a dash of humor.

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