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: $969 in Brasilia versus $770 in Contagem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,551 in Brasilia versus $1,232 in Contagem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,132 in Brasilia versus $1,694 in Contagem.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 26% more expensive than in Contagem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 30% lower, Contagem 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 R$45.75

$5.73 R$29.37

55.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 R$199

$29.84 R$153

30.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 R$43.54

$7.00 R$35.86

21.29%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.24

$1.70 R$8.71

51.76%

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

$1.41 R$7.22

$1.37 R$7.00

2.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.57 R$2.91

57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$12.07

$1.30 R$6.68

81.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 R$19.83

$2.50 R$12.81

54.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.53

$0.98 R$5.02

10.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.43

$1.79 R$9.19

13.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.35 R$6.94

-5.19%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$1.93 R$9.88

25.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 R$60.6

$9.76 R$50.1

21.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R$21.09

$3.37 R$17.29

21.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.47

$7.45 R$38.19

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 R$12.39

$1.94 R$9.92

24.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.14 R$5.84

28.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.55

$0.96 R$4.90

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.45

$1.61 R$8.27

2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$1.12 R$5.73

3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.03 R$5.26

3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.83 R$4.23

-4.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.85

$0.82 R$4.18

15.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.29

$1.58 R$8.11

51.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 R$42.17

$5.99 R$30.73

37.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.01 R$5.17

20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.02

$1.33 R$6.83

75.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.10

$1.42 R$7.27

-29.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$180

$77.1 R$395

-54.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.10 R$5.63

-2.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.77 R$3.93

19.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$30.99

$6.45 R$33.09

-6.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.22 R$6.27

7.38%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.2K R$118.8K

0.63%

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

$31.9K R$163.6K

$30.6K R$156.9K

4.27%

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

$96.4 R$494

$74.8 R$383

28.99%

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

$12.61 R$64.6

$10.00 R$51.3

26.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$112

$18.49 R$94.8

17.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$159

$26.08 R$134

19.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$138

$23.46 R$120

15.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.38

$6.86 R$35.16

11.95%

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

$822 R$4,214

$144 R$740

469.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$84.3K

$2,621 R$13.4K

527.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$265

$60.4 R$309

-14.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.32 R$222

$48.12 R$247

-9.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 R$427

$67.0 R$343

24.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R$443

$47.46 R$243

82.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,453

$222 R$1,138

115.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,322

$150 R$768

72.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 R$5,719

$463 R$2,374

140.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,855

$324 R$1,659

72.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

$1,923 R$9,859

27.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,962

$994 R$5,096

75.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,327

$255 R$1,305

231.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

10.67

13.59%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Contagem: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $479 in Brasilia and $222 in Contagem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 232% 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $30.00 in Contagem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $176 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 26% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $770 including rent). Contagem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 232% 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: $479 in Brasilia versus $222 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 $30.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Brasilia versus $770 in Contagem – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $770 in Contagem versus $969 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Contagem but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Contagem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 26% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.