Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz do Sul and Cape Town

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul: $866 a month against $1,527 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Santa Cruz do Sul
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Santa Cruz do Sul Living Index
74

Cost of Living Index in Cape Town
Learn more

Cape Town Living Index

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Santa Cruz do Sul

🇧🇷 Brazil

$866

/mo nomad

Cape Town

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,527

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Cruz do Sul and in Cape Town

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Santa Cruz do Sul and in Cape Town actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $866 per month in Santa Cruz do Sul vs $1,527 in Cape Town, rent included.

Santa Cruz do Sul $866
Cape Town $1,527

A couple spends around $1,393 per month in Santa Cruz do Sul vs $2,417 in Cape Town, rent included.

Santa Cruz do Sul $1,393
Cape Town $2,417

A family of three spends $1,919 per month in Santa Cruz do Sul vs $3,306 in Cape Town, rent included.

Santa Cruz do Sul $1,919
Cape Town $3,306

Santa Cruz do Sul is about 43% cheaper than Cape Town, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Santa Cruz do Sul sits 36% below the global median, while Cape Town is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 R$30.15

$12.01 R 198

-54.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.04 R$198

$42.92 R 707

-16.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 R$34.58

$6.15 R 101

2.44%

Cappuccino

$2.33 R$12.77

$2.37 R 39.04

-1.69%

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

$1.24 R$6.80

$1.27 R 20.96

-2.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.62

$0.94 R 15.46

8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 R$12.33

$2.96 R 48.77

-23.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 R$14.84

$3.69 R 60.8

-26.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 R$4.97

$1.32 R 21.73

-31.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 R$8.38

$1.21 R 19.87

26.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 R$5.38

$2.20 R 36.26

-55.45%

Eggs

$2.21 R$12.11

$3.10 R 51.1

-28.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 R$54.3

$8.73 R 144

13.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 R$24.01

$6.89 R 114

-36.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 R$49.93

$9.26 R 153

-1.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 R$12.25

$1.83 R 30.08

21.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 R$7.43

$1.95 R 32.12

-30.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.83

$1.66 R 27.32

-25.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 R$8.10

$2.14 R 35.19

-30.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R$6.07

$1.58 R 26.01

-29.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.53

$1.47 R 24.29

-31.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.34

$1.35 R 22.18

-41.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$4.03

$1.14 R 18.85

-35.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 R$12.51

$3.58 R 59.0

-36.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.34 R$40.27

$6.05 R 99.7

21.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 R$5.97

$1.39 R 22.95

-21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 R$10.91

$2.18 R 35.90

-8.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$5.16

$1.40 R 23.02

-32.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.8 R 1,001

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 R$7.23

$0.93 R 15.26

41.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 R$4.03

$0.90 R 14.83

-18.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 R$42.20

$4.96 R 81.7

55.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R$6.71

$1.54 R 25.37

-20.78%

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

$21.7K R$119.1K

$35.4K R 582.8K

-38.65%

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

$32.3K R$177.1K

$33.4K R 549.9K

-3.31%

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

$72.7 R$399

$117 R 1,929

-37.87%

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

$11.41 R$62.6

$25.71 R 424

-55.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.47 R$112

$39.41 R 649

-48.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.21 R$144

$51.6 R 850

-49.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.35 R 187

Cinema Ticket

$6.74 R$36.97

$8.89 R 146

-24.18%

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

$520 R$2,852

$308 R 5,069

68.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K R$125.4K

$8,141 R 134.2K

180.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.12 R$253

$57.4 R 946

-19.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 R$291

$31.75 R 523

67.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 R$517

$116 R 1,911

-18.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 R$402

$101 R 1,660

-27.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 R$2,876

$1,047 R 17.2K

-49.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 R$1,578

$669 R 11.0K

-57.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 R$4,884

$1,861 R 30.7K

-52.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 R$3,241

$1,407 R 23.2K

-58.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 R 39.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 R 25.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$372 R$2,039

$1,630 R 26.9K

-77.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

10.89

5.60%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: October 31, 2026

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Santa Cruz do Sul

$288 33.2%

Cape Town

$669 43.8% 133% $381

Groceries & Markets

Santa Cruz do Sul

$189 21.8%

Cape Town

$223 14.6% 18.1% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Cruz do Sul

$120 13.9%

Cape Town

$138 9% 14.7% $18

Eating Out

Santa Cruz do Sul

$116 13.5%

Cape Town

$174 11.4% 49.4% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Cruz do Sul

$105 12.1%

Cape Town

$182 11.9% 74.2% $78

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Cruz do Sul

$40 4.6%

Cape Town

$69 4.5% 74.8% $30

Getting Around

Santa Cruz do Sul

$8.8 * 1%

Cape Town

$72 4.7% 720% $63

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $524 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $1,047 in Cape Town. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Cape Town are about 4.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $43 in Cape Town. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $223 – making Santa Cruz do Sul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Santa Cruz do Sul

🇿🇦 Cape Town

🕒 Local time

18:24 6:24 PM

23:24 11:24 PM

5 h ahead of Santa Cruz do Sul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

133,246

3,740,026 Capital

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.182 USD

1 BRL = 0.163 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 5.49 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.13 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.42 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.43 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Santa Cruz do Sul Cape Town 6,570 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Santa Cruz do Sul
Cape Town

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 do Sul vs Cape Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cape Town costs about 76% more than Santa Cruz do Sul, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Santa Cruz do Sul and $2,291 in Cape Town. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $524 there versus $1,047 in Cape Town.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Santa Cruz do Sul and $1,527 in Cape Town. That makes Santa Cruz do Sul about 43% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $520 per month in Santa Cruz do Sul and $308 in Cape Town. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz do Sul, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Cape Town at $1,527. In Santa Cruz do Sul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cape Town has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Santa Cruz do Sul to $1,527 in Cape Town. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Cruz do Sul. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cape Town makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.