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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $770 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,232 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,402 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,694 in Contagem, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 58% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Contagem are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Contagem 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 R$48.53

$5.73 R$29.37

65.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R$201

$29.84 R$153

31.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 R$43.74

$7.00 R$35.86

21.86%

Cappuccino

$2.32 R$11.90

$1.70 R$8.71

36.47%

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

$1.59 R$8.13

$1.37 R$7.00

16.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.57 R$2.91

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.65

$1.30 R$6.68

74.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.91

$2.50 R$12.81

32.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$0.98 R$5.02

13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.42

$1.79 R$9.19

13.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.95

$1.35 R$6.94

0.74%

Eggs

$2.24 R$11.48

$1.93 R$9.88

16.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 R$53.4

$9.76 R$50.1

6.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 R$21.81

$3.37 R$17.29

26.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 R$50.1

$7.45 R$38.19

31.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 R$13.45

$1.94 R$9.92

35.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.31

$1.14 R$5.84

59.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$0.96 R$4.90

65.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.35

$1.61 R$8.27

13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.12 R$5.73

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.22

$1.03 R$5.26

-0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.83 R$4.23

-15.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.44

$0.82 R$4.18

-18.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.00

$1.58 R$8.11

85.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.79

$5.99 R$30.73

42.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.97

$1.01 R$5.17

15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.64

$1.33 R$6.83

85.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.95

$1.42 R$7.27

-31.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$257

$77.1 R$395

-35.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 R$6.07

$1.10 R$5.63

7.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.46

$0.77 R$3.93

12.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 R$45.51

$6.45 R$33.09

37.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.44

$1.22 R$6.27

3.28%

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

$23.6K R$121.2K

$23.2K R$118.8K

2.03%

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

$32.9K R$168.6K

$30.6K R$156.9K

7.45%

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

$136 R$697

$74.8 R$383

81.93%

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

$11.93 R$61.1

$10.00 R$51.3

19.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 R$111

$18.49 R$94.8

17.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 R$154

$26.08 R$134

15.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.51 R$151

$23.46 R$120

25.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 R$39.59

$6.86 R$35.16

12.54%

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

$550 R$2,819

$144 R$740

280.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.3K

$2,621 R$13.4K

408.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 R$206

$60.4 R$309

-33.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 R$245

$48.12 R$247

-0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 R$373

$67.0 R$343

8.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$334

$47.46 R$243

37.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 R$4,207

$222 R$1,138

269.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R$2,554

$150 R$768

232.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 R$6,585

$463 R$2,374

177.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R$3,673

$324 R$1,659

121.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 R$19.9K

$1,923 R$9,859

102.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 R$7,595

$994 R$5,096

49.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,329

$255 R$1,305

155.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

10.67

11.81%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Last update for Contagem: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Rio de Janeiro versus $222 in Contagem. 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 155% 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 $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $30.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $176 – 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

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

Yes – Rio de Janeiro is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,826 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,154 in Contagem. 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 54% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $550 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $144 in Contagem. 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 $770, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,217. 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.