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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $953 per month in Vila Velha vs $582 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

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

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

Vila Velha costs about 64% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.29 R$47.86

$2.12 BOB 25.63

338.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.15 R$197

$16.61 BOB 201

129.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 R$40.74

$4.65 BOB 56.2

70.11%

Cappuccino

$2.37 R$12.21

$1.82 BOB 21.94

30.22%

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

$1.37 R$7.07

$0.49 BOB 5.90

179.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 R$2.62

$0.43 BOB 5.23

18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 R$10.14

$0.98 BOB 11.90

101.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 R$15.12

$1.24 BOB 14.96

136.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.31

$0.78 BOB 9.40

32.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 R$8.11

$0.93 BOB 11.21

68.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 R$10.04

$1.06 BOB 12.81

83.96%

Eggs

$2.23 R$11.50

$1.06 BOB 12.82

110.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 R$44.45

$3.28 BOB 39.67

163.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 R$23.29

$2.71 BOB 32.70

66.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.62 R$44.41

$5.02 BOB 60.7

71.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.95

$1.67 BOB 20.21

15.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.78

$0.67 BOB 8.14

38.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.30

$0.81 BOB 9.75

50.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.62

$0.75 BOB 9.06

70.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.47

$0.69 BOB 8.29

82.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.82

$0.60 BOB 7.31

120.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 R$2.27

$0.55 BOB 6.60

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 R$4.03

$0.64 BOB 7.79

21.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 R$17.00

$1.98 BOB 23.89

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.92 R$45.94

$4.27 BOB 51.6

108.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 R$8.62

$1.04 BOB 12.58

60.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.75

$1.60 BOB 19.29

42.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.08

$0.26 BOB 3.17

280.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.0 R$258

$22.36 BOB 270

123.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 R$7.12

$1.67 BOB 20.17

-17.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 R$4.46

$0.97 BOB 11.68

-11.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.39 R$63.9

$6.15 BOB 74.3

101.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 R$6.07

$0.55 BOB 6.67

114.55%

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

$32.8K R$168.9K

$15.5K BOB 187.1K

111.53%

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

$32.3K R$166.6K

$19.4K BOB 234.0K

66.91%

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

$110 R$569

$34.44 BOB 416

220.70%

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

$17.61 R$90.7

$19.90 BOB 240

-11.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.79 R$76.2

$19.08 BOB 231

-22.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.08 R$134

$19.23 BOB 232

35.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.36 R$136

$12.69 BOB 153

107.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 R$35.17

$5.95 BOB 71.9

14.79%

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

$409 R$2,109

$126 BOB 1,517

225.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K R$73.0K

$2,948 BOB 35.6K

380.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.7 R$390

$26.02 BOB 314

190.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 R$263

$31.88 BOB 385

59.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 R$416

$65.4 BOB 790

23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 R$376

$56.8 BOB 687

28.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 R$1,547

$270 BOB 3,258

11.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 R$1,268

$185 BOB 2,238

32.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,843

$616 BOB 7,442

-10.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 R$2,833

$681 BOB 8,229

-19.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,027 R$10.4K

$1,288 BOB 15.6K

57.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,017 R$10.4K

$744 BOB 8,982

171.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$397 R$2,046

$291 BOB 3,520

36.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

6.17

83.63%

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

Last update for Vila Velha: August 30, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $300 in Vila Velha versus $270 in Santa Cruz. 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 $38.00 in Vila Velha versus $17.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $114 – 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

Vila Velha vs Santa Cruz: 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 $1,430 per month in Vila Velha and $873 in Santa Cruz. 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 $38.00 in Vila Velha and $17.00 in Santa Cruz. 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 $953 in Vila Velha and $582 in Santa Cruz, 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.