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 $838 per month in Vila Velha vs $818 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

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

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

Vila Velha costs about 2% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.43 R$32.16

$2.93 BOB 20.11

119.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.32 R$142

$26.95 BOB 185

5.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 R$35.01

$7.08 BOB 48.54

-1.13%

Cappuccino

$1.67 R$8.34

$2.72 BOB 18.63

-38.60%

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

$1.14 R$5.69

$0.82 BOB 5.65

39.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.75

$0.66 BOB 4.54

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 R$7.88

$1.43 BOB 9.82

9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R$13.62

$1.94 BOB 13.29

40.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 R$3.96

$1.08 BOB 7.42

-26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 R$7.21

$1.34 BOB 9.23

7.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 R$5.21

$1.34 BOB 9.18

-22.39%

Eggs

$1.61 R$8.04

$1.84 BOB 12.66

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 R$37.16

$4.58 BOB 31.40

62.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 R$18.71

$4.14 BOB 28.40

-9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.47 R$32.37

$6.28 BOB 43.05

3.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 R$10.00

$2.75 BOB 18.89

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.08

$0.92 BOB 6.31

32.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.88

$1.13 BOB 7.73

4.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.48

$1.04 BOB 7.10

24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 R$5.97

$0.92 BOB 6.31

29.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.48

$0.94 BOB 6.43

38.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 R$2.20

$0.80 BOB 5.50

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 R$2.59

$1.11 BOB 7.64

-53.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 R$14.28

$2.13 BOB 14.61

33.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 R$45.89

$7.44 BOB 51.1

23.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R$4.64

$1.47 BOB 10.07

-36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 R$11.46

$2.05 BOB 14.06

11.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.30 BOB 2.05

170.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.3 R$267

$21.23 BOB 146

151.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.35

$2.88 BOB 19.73

-62.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 R$3.65

$1.47 BOB 10.07

-50.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 R$19.15

$7.29 BOB 50.0

-47.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.34

$0.55 BOB 3.77

94.55%

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

$25.7K R$128.6K

$29.5K BOB 202.4K

-12.89%

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

$33.0K R$165.1K

$27.1K BOB 185.9K

21.77%

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

$125 R$626

$54.1 BOB 371

131.22%

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

$17.27 R$86.4

$22.94 BOB 157

-24.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 R$85.8

$33.45 BOB 229

-48.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.22 R$131

$31.55 BOB 216

-16.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 R$107

$21.52 BOB 148

-0.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.30 R$26.50

$7.04 BOB 48.28

-24.72%

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

$412 R$2,062

$201 BOB 1,377

105.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,472 R$32.4K

$4,258 BOB 29.2K

52.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.79 R$184

$42.30 BOB 290

-13.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.18 R$201

$48.34 BOB 332

-16.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 R$275

$84.6 BOB 580

-34.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 R$321

$60.0 BOB 411

7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$298 R$1,489

$401 BOB 2,753

-25.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 R$1,066

$261 BOB 1,793

-18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 R$2,601

$754 BOB 5,170

-31.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 R$2,368

$641 BOB 4,394

-26.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,037 R$10.2K

$1,511 BOB 10.4K

34.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,026 R$10.1K

$844 BOB 5,788

140.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$418 R$2,092

$526 BOB 3,608

-20.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

6.67

55.62%

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

Last update for Vila Velha: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $298 in Vila Velha versus $401 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 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 $28.00 in Vila Velha versus $27.00 in Santa Cruz. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Vila Velha vs $167 in Santa Cruz – 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

Vila Velha vs Santa Cruz: 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 $1,257 per month in Vila Velha and $1,228 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.

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 $28.00 in Vila Velha and $27.00 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 $838 in Vila Velha and $818 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.