Cost of Living Comparison Between Xi'an and Contagem Cost of Living Comparison Between Xi'an and Contagem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $698 per month in Xi'an vs $692 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,110 per month in Xi'an vs $1,093 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,523 per month in Xi'an vs $1,495 in Contagem, rent included.

Xi'an costs about 1% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Xi'an and Contagem are more affordable than the global median – Xi'an 48% lower, Contagem 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.39

$4.37 R$21.86

-37.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.18 ¥123

$18.32 R$91.7

-0.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ¥37.90

$5.69 R$28.48

-1.58%

Cappuccino

$3.50 ¥23.65

$1.27 R$6.37

175.59%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.93 R$4.66

-53.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.74

$0.47 R$2.35

-44.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.35

$1.14 R$5.73

-4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.51

$2.26 R$11.33

-24.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.65

$0.93 R$4.65

68.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ¥10.61

$1.53 R$7.64

2.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.51

$1.56 R$7.80

-48.08%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.94

$1.61 R$8.07

0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 ¥47.78

$7.90 R$39.54

-10.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.41

$3.21 R$16.06

-38.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.01 ¥60.9

$5.11 R$25.58

76.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ¥11.09

$1.85 R$9.26

-11.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.66

$1.34 R$6.69

-15.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.75

$0.88 R$4.42

46.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.50

$1.36 R$6.79

-40.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.77

$1.02 R$5.10

-30.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.81 R$4.03

-25.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.69 R$3.46

-26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.63 R$3.16

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 ¥18.47

$2.13 R$10.64

28.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.58 ¥51.3

$5.96 R$29.84

27.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥4.95

$1.03 R$5.15

-29.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$2.22 R$11.09

-23.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ¥3.19

$1.34 R$6.69

-64.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.76 ¥228

$72.3 R$362

-53.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$0.93 R$4.65

50.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.17

$0.97 R$4.87

-67.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 ¥28.05

$7.94 R$39.76

-47.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.76

$1.03 R$5.14

11.65%

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

$20.8K ¥140.6K

$25.0K R$125.3K

-16.91%

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

$16.3K ¥110.3K

$29.1K R$145.7K

-43.98%

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

$45.08 ¥305

$64.2 R$321

-29.76%

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

$6.07 ¥41.02

$14.08 R$70.5

-56.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.80 ¥79.8

$16.13 R$80.7

-26.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 ¥289

$24.20 R$121

76.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 ¥113

$21.68 R$109

-22.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 ¥32.41

$6.39 R$31.99

-25.04%

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

$339 ¥2,291

$134 R$669

153.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ¥121.9K

$6,853 R$34.3K

163.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 ¥371

$51.8 R$259

5.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.75 ¥255

$37.65 R$188

0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥465

$73.3 R$367

-6.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.3 ¥475

$63.8 R$319

10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ¥1,697

$203 R$1,016

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ¥1,315

$118 R$590

65.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 ¥3,356

$436 R$2,184

13.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ¥2,520

$266 R$1,330

40.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 ¥16.2K

$1,949 R$9,753

22.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,620 ¥11.0K

$1,002 R$5,012

61.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ¥7,152

$256 R$1,279

313.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

10.83

-60.11%

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

Last update for Xi'an: May 31, 2026

Last update for Contagem: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Xi'an versus $203 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 314% higher in Xi'an, 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 Xi'an versus $18.00 in Contagem. Groceries tell a different story – $158 in Xi'an vs $156 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

Xi'an vs Contagem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Xi'an is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,047 per month in Xi'an and $1,038 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 114% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $339 per month in Xi'an and $134 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 $698 in Xi'an and $692 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, Xi'an makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.