Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Santa Cruz do Sul

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul: $949 a month against $4,938 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $47,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

239

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
Learn more

New York, NY Living Index
45

Cost of Living Index in Santa Cruz do Sul
Learn more

Santa Cruz do Sul Living Index

Jump to prices

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,938

/mo nomad

Santa Cruz do Sul

🇧🇷 Brazil

$949

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Santa Cruz do Sul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in New York, NY and in Santa Cruz do Sul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,938 per month in New York, NY vs $949 in Santa Cruz do Sul, rent included.

New York, NY $4,938
Santa Cruz do Sul $949

A couple spends around $7,273 per month in New York, NY vs $1,519 in Santa Cruz do Sul, rent included.

New York, NY $7,273
Santa Cruz do Sul $1,519

A family of three spends $9,608 per month in New York, NY vs $2,089 in Santa Cruz do Sul, rent included.

New York, NY $9,608
Santa Cruz do Sul $2,089

New York, NY costs about 420% more than Santa Cruz do Sul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

New York, NY sits 264% above the global median, while Santa Cruz do Sul is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.99 $24.99

$5.96 R$30.23

319.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$35.87 R$182

235.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.74 $13.74

$7.10 R$35.99

93.52%

Cappuccino

$6.60 $6.60

$2.24 R$11.36

194.64%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$1.35 R$6.82

182.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.88 R$4.46

226.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 $7.95

$1.74 R$8.82

356.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$2.70 R$13.70

272.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.88 R$4.45

55.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$1.80 R$9.15

163.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.69 $7.69

$1.39 R$7.07

453.24%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$2.24 R$11.36

162.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.25 $19.25

$8.97 R$45.45

114.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.83 $17.83

$4.80 R$24.32

271.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$7.87 R$39.91

141.80%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 $6.69

$2.18 R$11.06

206.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.11 R$5.63

106.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$1.18 R$5.99

443.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.52 R$7.73

344.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$1.26 R$6.37

211.90%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.21 R$6.12

273.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.79 $2.79

$0.89 R$4.52

213.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.87 R$4.42

188.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.10 $18.10

$2.33 R$11.80

676.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.16 $20.16

$7.22 R$36.60

179.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.17 R$5.91

178.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.99 R$10.11

88.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$0.99 R$5.00

194.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$143 $143

$48.92 R$248

191.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.17 R$5.91

161.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.92 R$4.66

134.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.33 $41.33

$7.79 R$39.50

430.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.11 R$5.64

0.90%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$20.3K R$103.1K

62.85%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.4K R$169.4K

-23.04%

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

$219 $219

$86.3 R$438

154.10%

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

$75.3 $75.3

$13.08 R$66.3

475.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$23.04 R$117

206.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 $116

$25.93 R$131

345.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$67.6 $67.6

$24.49 R$124

176.11%

Cinema Ticket

$21.37 $21.37

$7.66 R$38.85

178.98%

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

$3,432 $3,432

$288 R$1,462

1089.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.7K $61.7K

$6,499 R$32.9K

848.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 $74.9

$49.59 R$251

51.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$55.4 R$281

-5.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$99.2 R$503

17.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$65.8 R$333

104.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,347 $4,347

$533 R$2,702

715.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,117 $3,117

$296 R$1,499

953.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$9,110 $9,110

$927 R$4,697

883.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,379 $5,379

$607 R$3,075

786.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$19.3K $19.3K

$1,850 R$9,380

942.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,943 $6,943

$1,188 R$6,021

484.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,238 $5,238

$373 R$1,889

1305.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

-37.73%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 17, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

New York, NY

$3.1K 63.1%

Santa Cruz do Sul

$296 31.2% 90.5% $2.8K

Groceries & Markets

New York, NY

$552 11.2%

Santa Cruz do Sul

$190 20.1% 65.5% $362

Eating Out

New York, NY

$407 8.2%

Santa Cruz do Sul

$119 12.5% 70.8% $288

Monthly Utilities & Internet

New York, NY

$365 7.4%

Santa Cruz do Sul

$122 12.9% 66.5% $243

Clothing & Footwear

New York, NY

$170 3.5%

Santa Cruz do Sul

$121 12.8% 28.6% $49

Getting Around

New York, NY

$168 3.4%

Santa Cruz do Sul

$59 6.2% 65.1% $110

Sport & Entertainment

New York, NY

$158 3.2%

Santa Cruz do Sul

$41 4.4% 73.9% $117

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,347 in New York, NY versus $533 in Santa Cruz do Sul. 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 1306% higher in New York, NY, 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 $120 in New York, NY versus $36.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $552 vs $190 – making Santa Cruz do Sul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🇧🇷 Santa Cruz do Sul

🕒 Local time

19:50 7:50 PM

20:50 8:50 PM

1 h ahead of New York, NY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

8,804,190

133,246

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Brazilian Real BRL R$

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 BRL = 0.197 USD

1 BRL = 0.175 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

BRL to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

New York, NY Santa Cruz do Sul 8,140 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

New York, NY
Santa Cruz do Sul

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

New York, NY vs Santa Cruz do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 420% more than Santa Cruz do Sul, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,407 per month in New York, NY and $1,423 in Santa Cruz do Sul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $3,432 per month in New York, NY and $288 in Santa Cruz do Sul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 190% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz do Sul, where all-in costs run around $949, than in New York, NY at $4,938. In Santa Cruz do Sul it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Santa Cruz do Sul costs $949 versus $4,938 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Cruz do Sul. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, New York, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.