OBJECTIVES Rubella is usually a disease of benign evolution and self limited in a non-vaccinated population. In 2007, Brazil experienced an epidemic of rubella where 8683 cases of the disease were confirmed. The objective of this research was to perform an economic evaluation of rubella and a strategy of control in outbreak in the city of Fortaleza in the 1st semester of 2007. METHODS Three economic evaluations were conducted: 1) cost-of-illness; 2) description of the costs and effectiveness of a ‘mop-up campaign' (i.e., containment vaccination); and 3) cost-effectiveness analysis of two interventions related to rubella. The targeted population was a group of confined militaries (N=600), where the costs and consequences before (i.e., during outbreak) and after the mop-up campaign were evaluated. Cost components were medical consults, drugs (including vaccine), laboratory tests, hospitalizations and emergency room visits, personnel, and productivity. All costs were reported in 2007 US dollars. RESULTS The total cost of the disease for the 21 confirmed cases was US$7,772 (average US$ 370), where the productivity costs contributed more than 82% of the total costs. The average cost for a vaccine dose was US$1.20. The cost-effectiveness ratio of the ‘mop-up' campaign was US$1.28 per individual with successful immunization. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the containment vaccination over the current epidemic scenario was minus US$328 per avoided rubella case (i.e., cost-saving). Using the marketed cost of the vaccine (i.e., private health sector), estimated at US$12.64, the one-way sensitivity analysis showed an estimated additional cost of US$36.26 per rubella case prevented, however, still inferior to the average cost to treat one rubella case. CONCLUSIONS Despite cost-effective, the acquisition cost of the vaccine at the marketed price may interfere with the universality of its access and effectiveness of vaccination programs, limiting the benefits of this measure of control and prevention.