OBJECTIVES:  Hormonal contraceptive methods are important to effective family planning. They can be used in the form of an oral or injectable drug, vaginal ring, subcutaneous implant and intrauterine device. The aim of this study is to describe the prices of different contraceptive methods available for users of the Brazilian public health system.  METHODS:  Cost data was obtained from the Brazilian Drug Market Regulation Chamber (CMED), through the maximum cost of sale to the government. The efficacy data was taken from the Brazilian Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FEBRASGO) for comparison between different methods. The calculations were conducted for a 5-year time horizon and a discount rate of 5% was applied for costs. Cost data was converted through PPP to 2015 USD using the Campbell and Cochrane Economics Methods Group´s Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Coordination Centre Cost Converter tool (CCEMG-EPPI-Centre Cost Converter). RESULTS: The costs associated to pills were ethinylestradiol 0.03mg + levonorgestrel 0.15mg (135.72 USD, 99.7% efficacy); cyproterone + ethinylestradiol (307.97 USD, 99.7% efficacy); norethisterone 0.35mg (143.62 USD, 99.0% efficacy). The costs associated to long-acting formulations were: norethisterone 50mg + estradiol valerate 5mg (350.33 USD, 99.0% efficacy) and medroxyprogesterone 150mg (158.18 USD, 99.7% efficacy); and IUD (264.20 USD, 99.9% efficacy). The transdermal patch was associated with higher costs: norelgestromin 0.06mg + ethinylestradiol 6mg (1525.03, 99.7% efficacy). CONCLUSIONS:  The decision about which products to offer in a country should not only consider efficacy outcomes, but also the costs associated to the technology. The efficacy of the hormonal contraceptive methods vary between 90 and 99.95% and the cost of different method varied between 135.72 and 1525.03 USD.