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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $751 per month in Contagem vs $847 in Serra, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Contagem vs $1,267 in Serra, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,679 per month in Contagem vs $1,687 in Serra, rent included.

Contagem is about 11% cheaper than Serra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Contagem and Serra are more affordable than the global median – Contagem 45% lower, Serra 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.65 R$28.82

$4.69 R$23.93

20.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.56 R$146

$22.21 R$113

28.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 R$34.99

$7.74 R$39.47

-11.37%

Cappuccino

$1.71 R$8.71

$1.88 R$9.61

-9.04%

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

$1.37 R$6.99

$1.28 R$6.54

7.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.88

$0.55 R$2.81

1.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 R$6.21

$1.92 R$9.82

-36.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.60

$2.86 R$14.61

-13.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.91

$1.13 R$5.78

-15.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.73

$1.79 R$9.15

-4.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.02

$1.09 R$5.57

26.61%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.96

$2.03 R$10.37

-3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 R$47.21

$10.00 R$51.0

-7.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 R$17.17

$4.29 R$21.89

-21.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.42 R$37.85

$8.09 R$41.25

-8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 R$9.72

$2.78 R$14.20

-31.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.72

$1.48 R$7.53

-24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.46

$1.73 R$8.80

-49.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.86

$1.49 R$7.62

3.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.37

$1.14 R$5.83

-7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.12

$1.07 R$5.46

-6.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 R$4.24

$1.21 R$6.20

-31.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 R$4.11

$1.28 R$6.51

-36.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.50 R$7.65

$2.44 R$12.46

-38.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.85 R$29.86

$5.52 R$28.16

5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R$4.78

$0.91 R$4.65

3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$7.01

$3.21 R$16.35

-57.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 R$7.47

$0.89 R$4.54

64.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.3 R$394

$46.58 R$238

65.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.63

$1.27 R$6.46

-13.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.78

$1.09 R$5.56

-32.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 R$30.79

$6.93 R$35.35

-12.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R$6.30

$1.10 R$5.59

12.73%

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

$23.1K R$117.8K

$22.8K R$116.3K

1.29%

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

$31.1K R$158.4K

$32.5K R$165.9K

-4.54%

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

$72.5 R$370

$152 R$778

-52.42%

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

$9.46 R$48.24

$12.22 R$62.3

-22.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.4

$20.46 R$104

-9.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.40 R$130

$25.57 R$130

-0.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.80 R$116

$26.17 R$133

-12.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 R$35.71

$7.10 R$36.22

-1.41%

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

$147 R$748

$175 R$892

-16.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,559 R$13.1K

$7,433 R$37.9K

-65.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 R$302

$52.6 R$268

12.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.88 R$239

$48.11 R$245

-2.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 R$335

$90.2 R$460

-27.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.38 R$237

$71.2 R$363

-34.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 R$1,100

$241 R$1,230

-10.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 R$758

$145 R$738

2.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 R$2,317

$431 R$2,196

5.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 R$1,628

$211 R$1,078

51.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,929 R$9,837

$941 R$4,799

105.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$958 R$4,884

$531 R$2,708

80.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 R$1,263

$544 R$2,774

-54.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

11.12

-4.05%

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

Last update for Contagem: August 31, 2026

Last update for Serra: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $216 in Contagem versus $241 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 120% 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 $29.00 in Contagem versus $22.00 in Serra. Groceries tell a different story – $172 in Contagem vs $202 in Serra – so Contagem wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 13%, 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 $1,127 per month in Contagem and $1,270 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 66% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $147 per month in Contagem and $175 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 $751 in Contagem and $847 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.