Cost of Living Comparison Between Contagem and Serra Cost of Living Comparison Between Contagem and Serra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $692 per month in Contagem vs $726 in Serra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,093 per month in Contagem vs $1,102 in Serra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,495 per month in Contagem vs $1,478 in Serra, rent included.

Contagem is about 5% cheaper than Serra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Contagem and Serra are more affordable than the global median – Contagem 48% lower, Serra 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 R$21.86

$4.45 R$22.29

-1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.32 R$91.7

$20.97 R$105

-12.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 R$28.48

$6.46 R$32.30

-11.92%

Cappuccino

$1.27 R$6.37

$1.72 R$8.62

-26.16%

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

$0.93 R$4.66

$0.71 R$3.55

30.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.35

$0.53 R$2.64

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 R$5.73

$0.82 R$4.11

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 R$11.33

$3.26 R$16.31

-30.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.65

$0.85 R$4.25

9.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 R$7.64

$1.51 R$7.58

1.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.80

$1.01 R$5.06

54.46%

Eggs

$1.61 R$8.07

$1.60 R$8.03

0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 R$39.54

$7.53 R$37.71

4.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 R$16.06

$3.77 R$18.86

-14.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 R$25.58

$6.31 R$31.57

-19.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 R$9.26

$2.13 R$10.64

-13.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.69

$1.38 R$6.88

-2.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.42

$1.22 R$6.12

-27.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.79

$1.43 R$7.15

-4.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.10

$1.09 R$5.48

-6.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 R$4.03

$1.20 R$6.02

-32.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.46

$0.63 R$3.13

9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.16

$0.53 R$2.64

18.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 R$10.64

$2.19 R$10.97

-2.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 R$29.84

$5.82 R$29.11

2.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.15

$0.94 R$4.70

9.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R$11.09

$1.21 R$6.07

83.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 R$6.69

$0.87 R$4.33

54.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.3 R$362

$42.17 R$211

71.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R$4.65

$1.15 R$5.74

-19.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 R$4.87

$0.91 R$4.57

6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.94 R$39.76

$3.73 R$18.64

112.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.14

$0.99 R$4.94

4.04%

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

$25.0K R$125.3K

$21.5K R$107.4K

16.58%

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

$29.1K R$145.7K

$30.3K R$151.6K

-3.90%

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

$64.2 R$321

$105 R$523

-38.64%

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

$14.08 R$70.5

$11.48 R$57.4

22.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.13 R$80.7

$17.50 R$87.6

-7.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.20 R$121

$35.78 R$179

-32.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.68 R$109

$26.58 R$133

-18.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 R$31.99

$4.47 R$22.37

42.95%

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

$134 R$669

$167 R$836

-19.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,853 R$34.3K

$6,380 R$31.9K

7.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$259

$36.76 R$184

41.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 R$188

$54.0 R$270

-30.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.3 R$367

$80.7 R$404

-9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 R$319

$70.6 R$353

-9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 R$1,016

$227 R$1,134

-10.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 R$590

$134 R$672

-12.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 R$2,184

$402 R$2,010

8.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 R$1,330

$196 R$980

35.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,949 R$9,753

$963 R$4,821

102.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 R$5,012

$563 R$2,820

77.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$256 R$1,279

$557 R$2,790

-54.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.83

10.38

4.34%

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

Last update for Contagem: June 2, 2026

Last update for Serra: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $203 in Contagem versus $227 in Serra. 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 118% higher in Serra, 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 $18.00 in Contagem versus $21.00 in Serra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $159 – 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 Serra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Serra is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,038 per month in Contagem and $1,088 in Serra. 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 71% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $134 per month in Contagem and $167 in Serra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $692 in Contagem and $726 in Serra, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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, Serra makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.