Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mindelo and Sal

For one person, living is cheaper in Mindelo: $387 a month against $850 in Sal, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Sal
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Sal Living Index

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Mindelo

🇨🇻 Cape Verde

$387

/mo nomad

Sal

🇨🇻 Cape Verde

$850

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mindelo and in Sal

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mindelo and in Sal actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $387 per month in Mindelo vs $850 in Sal, rent included.

Mindelo $387
Sal $850

A couple spends around $895 per month in Mindelo vs $1,313 in Sal, rent included.

Mindelo $895
Sal $1,313

A family of three spends $1,403 per month in Mindelo vs $1,777 in Sal, rent included.

Mindelo $1,403
Sal $1,777

Mindelo is about 54% cheaper than Sal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Mindelo and Sal are more affordable than the global median – Mindelo 71% lower, Sal 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 CVE 888

$5.51 CVE 540

64.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.6 CVE 5,551

$44.18 CVE 4,332

28.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 CVE 1,081

Cappuccino

$1.09 CVE 107

$2.32 CVE 227

-53.02%

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

$1.30 CVE 127

$2.54 CVE 249

-48.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CVE 96.3

$1.09 CVE 107

-10.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 CVE 267

$4.61 CVE 452

-41.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 CVE 147

$3.07 CVE 301

-51.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 CVE 147

$1.58 CVE 155

-5.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 CVE 106

$2.27 CVE 223

-52.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 CVE 78.4

$1.20 CVE 118

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.55 CVE 250

$2.79 CVE 273

-8.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.87 CVE 1,557

$9.03 CVE 886

75.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 CVE 736

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 CVE 1,713

$15.99 CVE 1,568

9.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 CVE 209

$3.16 CVE 310

-32.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 CVE 186

$2.49 CVE 245

-23.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 CVE 275

$3.33 CVE 326

-15.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 CVE 295

$3.98 CVE 391

-24.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 CVE 81.7

$1.64 CVE 161

-49.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 CVE 160

$1.85 CVE 182

-11.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 CVE 97.0

$1.55 CVE 152

-36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 CVE 70.7

$1.10 CVE 108

-34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 CVE 502

$4.57 CVE 448

12.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 CVE 787

$6.40 CVE 628

25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CVE 185

$4.03 CVE 395

-53.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 CVE 195

$1.88 CVE 184

5.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 CVE 43.22

$0.99 CVE 96.6

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.81 CVE 2,923

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 CVE 150

$2.08 CVE 204

-26.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 CVE 145

$3.08 CVE 302

-51.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.00 CVE 980

$12.65 CVE 1,240

-20.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 CVE 162

$1.38 CVE 135

19.57%

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

$60.8 CVE 5,964

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.23 CVE 4,827

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.47 CVE 2,694

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.96 CVE 290

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

$115 CVE 11.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.09 CVE 2,950

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 CVE 14.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 CVE 24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 CVE 16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 CVE 35.0K

$307 CVE 30.1K

16.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 CVE 24.6K

$206 CVE 20.2K

21.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$654 CVE 64.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$331 CVE 32.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 CVE 25.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

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

Last update for Mindelo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Sal: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mindelo

–

Sal

$296 34.8%

Accommodation & Living

Mindelo

–

Sal

$168 19.8%

Eating Out

Mindelo

–

Sal

$149 17.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mindelo

–

Sal

$110 * 13%

Clothing & Footwear

Mindelo

–

Sal

$78 * 9.2%

Sport & Entertainment

Mindelo

–

Sal

$27 * 3.2%

Getting Around

Mindelo

–

Sal

$21 * 2.5%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Mindelo versus $44.00 in Sal. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Mindelo vs $296 in Sal – so Mindelo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇻 Mindelo

🇨🇻 Sal

🕒 Local time

00:18 12:18 AM

Same time as Mindelo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

70,000

1,288

💱 Currency

Cabo Verdean Escudo CVE $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CVE = 10.2 USD

1,000 CVE = 9.07 EUR

1,000 CVE = 10.2 USD

1,000 CVE = 9.07 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Mindelo Sal 220 km

From you

Mindelo
Sal

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mindelo vs Sal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sal is pricier by about 119%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $581 per month in Mindelo and $1,274 in Sal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Sal, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Mindelo and $44.00 in Sal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $387 in Mindelo and $850 in Sal, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Mindelo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mindelo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sal makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.