Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Vila Velha Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Vila Velha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $818 per month in Santa Cruz vs $838 in Vila Velha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,366 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,322 in Vila Velha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,914 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,807 in Vila Velha, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 2% cheaper than Vila Velha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santa Cruz and Vila Velha are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz 39% lower, Vila Velha 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 BOB 20.11

$6.43 R$32.16

-54.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.95 BOB 185

$28.32 R$142

-4.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 BOB 48.54

$7.00 R$35.01

1.14%

Cappuccino

$2.72 BOB 18.63

$1.67 R$8.34

62.87%

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

$0.82 BOB 5.65

$1.14 R$5.69

-28.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 BOB 4.54

$0.55 R$2.75

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 BOB 9.82

$1.57 R$7.88

-8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BOB 13.29

$2.72 R$13.62

-28.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 BOB 7.42

$0.79 R$3.96

36.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BOB 9.23

$1.44 R$7.21

-6.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 BOB 9.18

$1.04 R$5.21

28.85%

Eggs

$1.84 BOB 12.66

$1.61 R$8.04

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.58 BOB 31.40

$7.43 R$37.16

-38.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.14 BOB 28.40

$3.74 R$18.71

10.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 BOB 43.05

$6.47 R$32.37

-2.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 BOB 18.89

$2.00 R$10.00

37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 BOB 6.31

$1.22 R$6.08

-24.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 BOB 7.73

$1.18 R$5.88

-4.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 BOB 7.10

$1.29 R$6.48

-19.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 BOB 6.31

$1.19 R$5.97

-22.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 BOB 6.43

$1.30 R$6.48

-27.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 BOB 5.50

$0.44 R$2.20

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BOB 7.64

$0.52 R$2.59

113.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.13 BOB 14.61

$2.85 R$14.28

-25.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 BOB 51.1

$9.17 R$45.89

-18.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 BOB 10.07

$0.93 R$4.64

58.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 BOB 14.06

$2.29 R$11.46

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 2.05

$0.81 R$4.08

-62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 BOB 146

$53.3 R$267

-60.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 BOB 19.73

$1.07 R$5.35

169.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 BOB 10.07

$0.73 R$3.65

101.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 BOB 50.0

$3.83 R$19.15

90.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 BOB 3.77

$1.07 R$5.34

-48.60%

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

$29.5K BOB 202.4K

$25.7K R$128.6K

14.80%

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

$27.1K BOB 185.9K

$33.0K R$165.1K

-17.88%

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

$54.1 BOB 371

$125 R$626

-56.75%

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

$22.94 BOB 157

$17.27 R$86.4

32.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.45 BOB 229

$17.14 R$85.8

95.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.55 BOB 216

$26.22 R$131

20.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 BOB 148

$21.36 R$107

0.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 BOB 48.28

$5.30 R$26.50

32.83%

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

$201 BOB 1,377

$412 R$2,062

-51.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,258 BOB 29.2K

$6,472 R$32.4K

-34.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.30 BOB 290

$36.79 R$184

14.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.34 BOB 332

$40.18 R$201

20.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 BOB 580

$55.0 R$275

53.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.0 BOB 411

$64.2 R$321

-6.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 BOB 2,753

$298 R$1,489

34.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 BOB 1,793

$213 R$1,066

22.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 BOB 5,170

$520 R$2,601

45.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 BOB 4,394

$473 R$2,368

35.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 BOB 10.4K

$2,037 R$10.2K

-25.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$844 BOB 5,788

$2,026 R$10.1K

-58.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$526 BOB 3,608

$418 R$2,092

25.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

10.38

-35.74%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Last update for Vila Velha: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $401 in Santa Cruz versus $298 in Vila Velha. 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 26% higher in Santa Cruz, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Santa Cruz versus $28.00 in Vila Velha. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Santa Cruz vs $163 in Vila Velha – so Vila Velha 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

Santa Cruz vs Vila Velha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vila Velha is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,228 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,257 in Vila Velha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Vila Velha – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Santa Cruz and $28.00 in Vila Velha. 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 $818 in Santa Cruz and $838 in Vila Velha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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