Cost of Living Comparison Between Praia and Sal Cost of Living Comparison Between Praia and Sal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Praia versus $1,014 in Sal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,894 in Praia versus $1,540 in Sal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,571 in Praia versus $2,066 in Sal.

Living in Praia is roughly 20% more expensive than Sal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Praia 9% lower, Sal 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 CVE 480

$5.80 CVE 549

-12.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.91 CVE 3,494

$46.87 CVE 4,437

-21.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 CVE 657

$7.28 CVE 690

-4.67%

Cappuccino

$1.56 CVE 147

$2.28 CVE 216

-31.58%

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

$3.18 CVE 301

$2.43 CVE 230

30.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 CVE 128

$1.12 CVE 106

20.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 CVE 246

$3.85 CVE 364

-32.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 CVE 202

$3.11 CVE 295

-31.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 CVE 135

$1.50 CVE 142

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 CVE 201

$2.22 CVE 210

-4.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 CVE 316

$1.55 CVE 147

115.48%

Eggs

$2.29 CVE 217

$2.87 CVE 272

-20.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$26.27 CVE 2,487

$11.06 CVE 1,048

137.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 CVE 392

$8.21 CVE 777

-49.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 CVE 1,625

$16.60 CVE 1,572

3.37%

Apples (1kg)

$5.18 CVE 491

$2.93 CVE 278

76.79%

Banana (1kg)

$3.16 CVE 299

$2.54 CVE 240

24.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 CVE 362

$2.94 CVE 279

29.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 CVE 452

$4.16 CVE 394

14.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 CVE 140

$1.63 CVE 154

-9.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 CVE 150

$1.97 CVE 186

-19.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 CVE 141

$1.84 CVE 174

-19.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 CVE 147

$1.14 CVE 108

35.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.81 CVE 455

$4.84 CVE 459

-0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 CVE 836

$6.99 CVE 662

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 CVE 171

$2.98 CVE 283

-39.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 CVE 183

$1.97 CVE 187

-1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 CVE 79.9

$1.03 CVE 97.7

-18.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.37 CVE 2,686

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 CVE 153

$2.13 CVE 201

-24.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 CVE 119

$2.83 CVE 268

-55.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.47 CVE 992

$12.83 CVE 1,214

-18.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 CVE 155

$1.43 CVE 135

14.69%

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

$30.4K CVE 2.9M

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

$39.3K CVE 3.7M

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

$190 CVE 18.0K

$89.8 CVE 8,500

112.09%

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

$27.44 CVE 2,598

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 CVE 5,108

$55.2 CVE 5,225

-2.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.86 CVE 3,017

$35.47 CVE 3,358

-10.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.66 CVE 820

Cinema Ticket

$5.77 CVE 547

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

$146 CVE 13.8K

$150 CVE 14.2K

-2.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,238 CVE 306.5K

$2,546 CVE 241.1K

27.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.7 CVE 8,212

$31.74 CVE 3,006

173.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.80 CVE 2,916

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 CVE 8,037

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 CVE 12.0K

$146 CVE 13.8K

-13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 CVE 44.5K

$335 CVE 31.7K

40.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 CVE 24.9K

$295 CVE 27.9K

-10.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 CVE 102.3K

$446 CVE 42.2K

142.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 CVE 51.3K

$400 CVE 37.9K

35.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,345 CVE 127.3K

$674 CVE 63.8K

99.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,017 CVE 96.3K

$348 CVE 33.0K

191.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 CVE 20.1K

$263 CVE 24.9K

-19.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

45.87%

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

Last update for Praia: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $470 in Praia and $335 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sal pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Praia vs $47.00 in Sal. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 vs $304, with Sal cheaper for home cooking.

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

Praia vs Sal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sal wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Praia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sal the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Sal earns 24% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $470 in Praia versus $335 in Sal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $146 in Praia versus $150 in Sal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sal – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $37.00 in Praia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,014 in Sal versus $1,218 in Praia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sal but tight or insufficient in Praia. The gap between the two cities makes Sal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Praia and Sal are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Praia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.