Carandaí is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Minas Gerais. The population in 2007 22,240 people in a total area of 486 km². The city belongs to the mesoregion of Campo das Vertentes and to the microregion of Barbacena.

Carandaí lies on the important BR-040 highway, 35 km. north of Barbacena. The main economic activities are services, cattle raising, milk and cheese production, small transformation industries, and the growing of flowers, fruits, vegetables, corn, coffee, potatoes, and beans. In 2005 there were 3 financial institutions. In the health sector there were 12 clinics and one hospital with 51 beds (2005). In the educational sector there were 23 primary schools and 3 middle schools. There were 2 campuses of private institutions of higher learning with 168 students in 2005.