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 $582 per month in Santa Cruz vs $953 in Vila Velha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,056 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,563 in Vila Velha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,531 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,172 in Vila Velha, rent included.

Santa Cruz is about 39% cheaper than Vila Velha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Santa Cruz and Vila Velha are more affordable than the global median – Santa Cruz 58% lower, Vila Velha 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.12 BOB 25.63

$9.29 R$47.86

-77.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.61 BOB 201

$38.15 R$197

-56.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 BOB 56.2

$7.91 R$40.74

-41.21%

Cappuccino

$1.82 BOB 21.94

$2.37 R$12.21

-23.21%

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

$0.49 BOB 5.90

$1.37 R$7.07

-64.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 BOB 5.23

$0.51 R$2.62

-15.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 BOB 11.90

$1.97 R$10.14

-50.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 BOB 14.96

$2.93 R$15.12

-57.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 BOB 9.40

$1.03 R$5.31

-24.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 BOB 11.21

$1.57 R$8.11

-40.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 BOB 12.81

$1.95 R$10.04

-45.64%

Eggs

$1.06 BOB 12.82

$2.23 R$11.50

-52.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.28 BOB 39.67

$8.63 R$44.45

-61.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 BOB 32.70

$4.52 R$23.29

-40.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.02 BOB 60.7

$8.62 R$44.41

-41.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 BOB 20.21

$1.93 R$9.95

-13.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 BOB 8.14

$0.93 R$4.78

-27.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 BOB 9.75

$1.22 R$6.30

-33.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 BOB 9.06

$1.28 R$6.62

-41.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 BOB 8.29

$1.26 R$6.47

-45.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 BOB 7.31

$1.32 R$6.82

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 BOB 6.60

$0.44 R$2.27

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BOB 7.79

$0.78 R$4.03

-17.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 BOB 23.89

$3.30 R$17.00

-40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.27 BOB 51.6

$8.92 R$45.94

-52.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BOB 12.58

$1.67 R$8.62

-37.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 BOB 19.29

$2.28 R$11.75

-29.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 BOB 3.17

$0.99 R$5.08

-73.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.36 BOB 270

$50.0 R$258

-55.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 BOB 20.17

$1.38 R$7.12

21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 BOB 11.68

$0.86 R$4.46

12.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 BOB 74.3

$12.39 R$63.9

-50.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 BOB 6.67

$1.18 R$6.07

-53.39%

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

$15.5K BOB 187.1K

$32.8K R$168.9K

-52.73%

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

$19.4K BOB 234.0K

$32.3K R$166.6K

-40.09%

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

$34.44 BOB 416

$110 R$569

-68.82%

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

$19.90 BOB 240

$17.61 R$90.7

13.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.08 BOB 231

$14.79 R$76.2

29.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.23 BOB 232

$26.08 R$134

-26.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.69 BOB 153

$26.36 R$136

-51.86%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 BOB 71.9

$6.83 R$35.17

-12.88%

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

$126 BOB 1,517

$409 R$2,109

-69.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,948 BOB 35.6K

$14.2K R$73.0K

-79.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.02 BOB 314

$75.7 R$390

-65.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.88 BOB 385

$51.0 R$263

-37.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 BOB 790

$80.7 R$416

-18.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.8 BOB 687

$73.0 R$376

-22.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 BOB 3,258

$300 R$1,547

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 BOB 2,238

$246 R$1,268

-24.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 BOB 7,442

$552 R$2,843

11.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$681 BOB 8,229

$550 R$2,833

23.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,288 BOB 15.6K

$2,027 R$10.4K

-36.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$744 BOB 8,982

$2,017 R$10.4K

-63.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$291 BOB 3,520

$397 R$2,046

-26.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

11.33

-45.54%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 1, 2026

Last update for Vila Velha: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Santa Cruz versus $300 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 36% higher in Vila Velha, 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 $17.00 in Santa Cruz versus $38.00 in Vila Velha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $114 vs $192 – making Santa Cruz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 64%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $873 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,430 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.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Vila Velha, 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 $17.00 in Santa Cruz and $38.00 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 $582 in Santa Cruz and $953 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.