Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Mindelo Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Mindelo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Sal vs $416 in Mindelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,540 per month in Sal vs $958 in Mindelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,066 per month in Sal vs $1,501 in Mindelo, rent included.

Sal costs about 144% more than Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Sal and Mindelo are more affordable than the global median – Sal 24% lower, Mindelo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 CVE 549

$11.72 CVE 1,110

-50.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.87 CVE 4,437

$58.3 CVE 5,516

-19.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 CVE 690

Cappuccino

$2.28 CVE 216

$1.13 CVE 107

101.77%

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

$2.43 CVE 230

$1.07 CVE 102

127.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CVE 106

$1.04 CVE 98.4

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 CVE 364

$3.52 CVE 333

9.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CVE 295

$1.83 CVE 173

69.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CVE 142

$1.53 CVE 145

-1.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CVE 210

$1.13 CVE 107

96.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 CVE 147

$0.80 CVE 75.6

93.75%

Eggs

$2.87 CVE 272

$2.62 CVE 248

9.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 CVE 1,048

$16.25 CVE 1,539

-31.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 CVE 777

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 CVE 1,572

$17.56 CVE 1,663

-5.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 CVE 278

$2.19 CVE 208

33.79%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 CVE 240

$1.97 CVE 187

28.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CVE 279

$2.90 CVE 275

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 CVE 394

$3.22 CVE 305

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 CVE 154

$0.87 CVE 82.7

87.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 CVE 186

$1.77 CVE 167

11.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 CVE 174

$1.06 CVE 100

73.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CVE 108

$0.78 CVE 73.5

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 CVE 459

$5.18 CVE 490

-6.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 CVE 662

$8.40 CVE 796

-16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CVE 283

$2.02 CVE 191

47.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CVE 187

$2.10 CVE 199

-6.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 CVE 97.7

$0.46 CVE 43.09

123.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.03 CVE 2,938

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 CVE 201

$1.58 CVE 150

34.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 CVE 268

$1.39 CVE 132

103.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.83 CVE 1,214

$10.53 CVE 997

21.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CVE 135

$1.70 CVE 161

-15.88%

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

$89.8 CVE 8,500

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CVE 5,225

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.47 CVE 3,358

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.18 CVE 301

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

$150 CVE 14.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,546 CVE 241.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.74 CVE 3,006

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 CVE 13.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 CVE 31.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 CVE 27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 CVE 42.2K

$368 CVE 34.9K

21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CVE 37.9K

$266 CVE 25.2K

50.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$674 CVE 63.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$348 CVE 33.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 CVE 24.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

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

Last update for Sal: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Sal versus $58.0 in Mindelo. Groceries tell a different story – $304 in Sal vs $243 in Mindelo – so Mindelo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Sal vs Mindelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sal is pricier by about 144%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Sal and $624 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 25% 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 $47.00 in Sal and $58.0 in Mindelo. 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 $1,014 in Sal and $416 in Mindelo, 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.