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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Serra costs about 13% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.69 R$24.18

$5.65 R$29.12

-16.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.21 R$114

$28.56 R$147

-22.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 R$39.88

$6.86 R$35.35

12.83%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.71

$1.71 R$8.80

9.94%

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

$1.28 R$6.61

$1.37 R$7.06

-6.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.84

$0.56 R$2.91

-1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 R$9.92

$1.22 R$6.27

57.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 R$14.76

$2.47 R$12.74

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.84

$0.96 R$4.97

17.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 R$9.24

$1.71 R$8.82

4.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.63

$1.38 R$7.09

-21.01%

Eggs

$2.03 R$10.48

$1.95 R$10.06

4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.00 R$51.6

$9.26 R$47.70

7.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 R$22.12

$3.37 R$17.35

27.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 R$41.68

$7.42 R$38.24

9.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 R$14.35

$1.91 R$9.82

45.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.61

$1.12 R$5.78

32.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.89

$0.87 R$4.51

98.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.70

$1.54 R$7.94

-3.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.89

$1.05 R$5.42

8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.00 R$5.17

7.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 R$6.26

$0.83 R$4.29

45.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 R$6.58

$0.81 R$4.15

58.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 R$12.59

$1.50 R$7.73

62.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.52 R$28.46

$5.85 R$30.17

-5.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.70

$0.94 R$4.83

-3.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 R$16.52

$1.37 R$7.08

134.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R$4.59

$1.46 R$7.54

-39.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.58 R$240

$77.3 R$398

-39.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 R$6.53

$1.10 R$5.69

15.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 R$5.62

$0.74 R$3.82

47.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 R$35.72

$6.04 R$31.11

14.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.65

$1.24 R$6.37

-11.29%

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

$22.8K R$117.5K

$23.1K R$119.1K

-1.27%

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

$32.5K R$167.7K

$31.1K R$160.0K

4.76%

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

$152 R$786

$72.5 R$374

110.19%

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

$12.22 R$63.0

$9.46 R$48.74

29.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.46 R$105

$18.51 R$95.4

10.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.57 R$132

$25.40 R$131

0.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 R$135

$22.80 R$117

14.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 R$36.60

$7.00 R$36.08

1.43%

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

$175 R$901

$147 R$756

19.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,433 R$38.3K

$2,559 R$13.2K

190.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 R$271

$59.2 R$305

-11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.11 R$248

$46.88 R$242

2.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 R$465

$65.7 R$339

37.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 R$367

$46.38 R$239

53.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 R$1,243

$216 R$1,112

11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$145 R$746

$149 R$766

-2.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$431 R$2,219

$454 R$2,341

-5.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 R$1,089

$319 R$1,645

-33.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$941 R$4,848

$1,929 R$9,939

-51.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$531 R$2,737

$958 R$4,935

-44.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 R$2,802

$248 R$1,276

119.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

10.67

4.22%

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

Last update for Serra: August 31, 2026

Last update for Contagem: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Serra versus $216 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 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 $22.00 in Serra versus $29.00 in Contagem. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Serra vs $172 in Contagem – 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

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

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