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 $802 per month in Santa Cruz vs $854 in Vila Velha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,332 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,341 in Vila Velha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,862 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,828 in Vila Velha, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 6% cheaper than Vila Velha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Santa Cruz and Vila Velha are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz 40% lower, Vila Velha 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.88 BOB 30.62

$6.21 R$31.74

-53.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 BOB 285

$28.69 R$147

-6.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 BOB 76.7

$7.11 R$36.32

1.27%

Cappuccino

$2.85 BOB 30.34

$1.68 R$8.60

69.64%

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

$0.78 BOB 8.32

$1.18 R$6.05

-33.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 BOB 6.99

$0.54 R$2.77

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 BOB 15.26

$1.50 R$7.67

-4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 BOB 20.65

$2.74 R$13.99

-29.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 BOB 11.56

$0.87 R$4.43

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 BOB 14.39

$1.45 R$7.40

-6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 BOB 13.84

$1.04 R$5.33

25.00%

Eggs

$1.76 BOB 18.70

$1.61 R$8.24

9.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.75 BOB 50.5

$7.38 R$37.72

-35.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 BOB 43.01

$3.70 R$18.92

9.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 BOB 67.0

$6.43 R$32.87

-2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 BOB 28.79

$2.00 R$10.20

35.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 BOB 10.29

$1.22 R$6.22

-20.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 BOB 12.21

$1.24 R$6.33

-7.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 BOB 10.99

$1.28 R$6.54

-19.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 BOB 9.73

$1.14 R$5.82

-20.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 BOB 10.63

$1.34 R$6.85

-25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 BOB 8.42

$0.46 R$2.36

71.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 BOB 11.78

$0.56 R$2.85

98.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 BOB 23.85

$2.81 R$14.35

-20.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.30 BOB 77.7

$8.99 R$45.93

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 BOB 15.03

$0.89 R$4.56

58.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 BOB 21.66

$2.29 R$11.73

-11.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 3.15

$0.82 R$4.20

-63.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.01 BOB 224

$53.8 R$275

-60.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 BOB 31.42

$1.05 R$5.37

180.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 BOB 15.23

$0.72 R$3.69

98.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 BOB 79.0

$3.79 R$19.39

95.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 BOB 6.20

$1.12 R$5.70

-48.21%

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

$29.1K BOB 310.2K

$25.3K R$129.5K

14.96%

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

$27.4K BOB 291.7K

$32.6K R$166.9K

-16.11%

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

$55.4 BOB 590

$124 R$635

-55.41%

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

$22.26 BOB 237

$17.58 R$89.9

26.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.17 BOB 353

$16.87 R$86.2

96.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.35 BOB 345

$26.30 R$134

23.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.67 BOB 231

$21.99 R$112

-1.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 BOB 78.5

$5.54 R$28.34

33.03%

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

$203 BOB 2,161

$413 R$2,111

-50.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,245 BOB 45.2K

$6,533 R$33.4K

-35.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.54 BOB 453

$36.31 R$186

17.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 BOB 509

$39.13 R$200

22.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 BOB 896

$54.1 R$277

55.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.8 BOB 637

$65.8 R$336

-8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 BOB 4,415

$297 R$1,519

39.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 BOB 2,747

$217 R$1,111

18.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 BOB 7,867

$519 R$2,654

42.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 BOB 6,849

$479 R$2,447

34.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,502 BOB 16.0K

$2,043 R$10.4K

-26.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 BOB 10.5K

$2,056 R$10.5K

-51.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$475 BOB 5,061

$400 R$2,043

18.90%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Vila Velha: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $415 in Santa Cruz versus $297 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 19% 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 $29.00 in Vila Velha. Groceries tell a different story – $166 in Santa Cruz vs $164 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 7%, 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 $1,202 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,281 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 1% 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 $29.00 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 $802 in Santa Cruz and $854 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.