Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Contagem Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Contagem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $866 in Brasilia versus $671 in Contagem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Brasilia versus $1,088 in Contagem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Brasilia versus $1,504 in Contagem.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 29% more expensive than in Contagem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Contagem 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.33 R$37.31

$4.60 R$23.40

59.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 R$204

$17.71 R$90.2

126.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.45

$5.79 R$29.46

10.02%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.56

$1.24 R$6.31

51.61%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 R$6.01

$0.86 R$4.36

37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.38

$0.43 R$2.18

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.33

$1.18 R$6.02

55.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.82

$2.21 R$11.26

49.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.08

$0.88 R$4.47

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 R$8.19

$1.47 R$7.46

9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.20

$1.54 R$7.86

-8.44%

Eggs

$2.12 R$10.77

$1.55 R$7.90

36.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 R$48.40

$7.92 R$40.31

20.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.75

$3.18 R$16.19

3.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.92 R$35.24

$5.24 R$26.65

32.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.30

$1.84 R$9.35

9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.10

$1.28 R$6.54

9.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.85

$0.92 R$4.69

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.32 R$6.71

21.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.03 R$5.22

19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.56

$0.81 R$4.15

59.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.77

$0.69 R$3.53

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.33

$0.64 R$3.25

1.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 R$11.18

$2.22 R$11.31

-0.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.52

$5.89 R$29.97

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 R$5.49

$1.04 R$5.29

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.48

$2.14 R$10.87

5.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 R$4.97

$1.37 R$6.98

-28.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.21 R$225

$73.8 R$376

-40.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.85

$0.92 R$4.67

3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.04

$1.03 R$5.26

-23.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 R$29.40

$8.07 R$41.07

-28.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.71

$1.05 R$5.37

6.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.7K R$125.9K

$24.9K R$127.0K

-0.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.3K R$149.2K

$28.8K R$146.8K

1.65%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$71.2 R$363

$64.0 R$326

11.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.29 R$67.7

$14.36 R$73.1

-7.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.78 R$106

$16.12 R$82.1

28.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.51 R$130

$24.21 R$123

5.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$110

$21.20 R$108

2.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R$35.97

$6.31 R$32.12

12.04%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$480 R$2,444

$137 R$698

249.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K R$77.7K

$6,743 R$34.3K

126.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 R$293

$52.2 R$266

10.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$208

$36.62 R$186

11.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.8 R$345

$72.0 R$367

-5.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 R$327

$65.8 R$335

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 R$2,081

$204 R$1,036

100.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 R$1,304

$120 R$609

114.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 R$4,916

$439 R$2,235

120.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 R$2,819

$265 R$1,351

108.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,502 R$12.7K

$1,976 R$10.1K

26.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,681 R$8,561

$964 R$4,907

74.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 R$4,775

$250 R$1,274

274.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.83

9.60%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Brasilia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Contagem: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Brasilia and $204 in Contagem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 275% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $18.00 in Contagem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $155 per month, with Contagem cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Brasilia vs Contagem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Contagem differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($866 vs $671 including rent). Contagem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 275% higher in Brasilia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $409 in Brasilia versus $204 in Contagem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Contagem – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $40.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $866 per month in Brasilia versus $671 in Contagem – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Contagem gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Contagem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.