Cost of Living Comparison Between Contagem and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Contagem and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $751 per month in Contagem vs $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Contagem vs $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,679 per month in Contagem vs $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Contagem is about 38% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Contagem and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Contagem 45% lower, Rio de Janeiro 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.65 R$28.82

$8.50 R$43.35

-33.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.56 R$146

$38.02 R$194

-24.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 R$34.99

$7.62 R$38.85

-9.97%

Cappuccino

$1.71 R$8.71

$2.24 R$11.43

-23.66%

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

$1.37 R$6.99

$1.56 R$7.93

-12.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.88

$1.04 R$5.29

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 R$6.21

$2.27 R$11.57

-46.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.60

$3.31 R$16.86

-25.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.91

$1.11 R$5.65

-13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.73

$1.96 R$9.99

-12.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.02

$1.33 R$6.77

3.76%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.96

$2.22 R$11.32

-12.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$47.21

$10.35 R$52.8

-10.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 R$17.17

$4.32 R$22.04

-21.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 R$37.85

$9.42 R$48.04

-21.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 R$9.72

$2.64 R$13.46

-27.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.72

$1.72 R$8.79

-34.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.46

$1.52 R$7.76

-42.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.86

$1.79 R$9.11

-13.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.37

$1.23 R$6.25

-14.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.12

$1.03 R$5.28

-2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.24

$0.70 R$3.56

18.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 R$4.11

$0.63 R$3.21

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.50 R$7.65

$2.91 R$14.82

-48.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 R$29.86

$7.84 R$39.97

-25.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R$4.78

$1.10 R$5.62

-14.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$7.01

$2.56 R$13.04

-46.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.00 R$5.09

46.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 R$394

$48.98 R$250

57.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.63

$1.19 R$6.06

-7.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.78

$0.88 R$4.47

-15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 R$30.79

$8.97 R$45.76

-32.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R$6.30

$1.26 R$6.42

-1.59%

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

$23.1K R$117.8K

$23.3K R$119.1K

-1.03%

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

$31.1K R$158.4K

$32.2K R$164.3K

-3.62%

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

$72.5 R$370

$132 R$672

-44.91%

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

$9.46 R$48.24

$10.95 R$55.9

-13.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.4

$21.95 R$112

-15.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 R$130

$28.50 R$145

-10.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.80 R$116

$30.26 R$154

-24.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 R$35.71

$7.80 R$39.80

-10.26%

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

$147 R$748

$538 R$2,743

-72.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,559 R$13.1K

$12.8K R$65.3K

-80.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 R$302

$40.62 R$207

45.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.88 R$239

$46.36 R$236

1.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 R$335

$69.7 R$355

-5.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.38 R$237

$64.6 R$330

-28.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 R$1,100

$828 R$4,222

-73.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 R$758

$467 R$2,384

-68.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 R$2,317

$1,264 R$6,444

-64.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 R$1,628

$723 R$3,687

-55.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,929 R$9,837

$4,042 R$20.6K

-52.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$958 R$4,884

$1,511 R$7,707

-36.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 R$1,263

$613 R$3,127

-59.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

11.93

-10.56%

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

Last update for Contagem: August 31, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $216 in Contagem versus $828 in Rio de Janeiro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 148% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Contagem versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $207 – making Contagem the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Contagem vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 60%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,127 per month in Contagem and $1,807 in Rio de Janeiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Contagem, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 58% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Contagem and $538 in Rio de Janeiro. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $751, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,205. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Contagem. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rio de Janeiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.