For a single person buying a home, Machico works out cheaper. A home in Machico costs €46,980 less.
You will
Household
Transport
60 m²
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MachicoSanta Cruz
Estimated home price · 60 m²€124,200Δ €46,980€171,180
On the day you buy
Down payment€12,420€17,118
Transfer tax (IMT)€0€765
Stamp duty · purchase€994€1,369
Stamp duty · loan€671€924
Total upfront€14,084€20,177
Monthly payment€430€593
Mortgage payments35 years at 3.00% · 90% financed
€5,162€7,115
€1,953less in Machico
Property tax (IMI)1VPT estimated at 50% of price
€186€257
€71less in Machico
Water, sewage and wasteOfficial tariffs · 4 m³/month
no data for Santa Cruz
ElectricityERSE regulated tariff · 1,469 kWh/year
€377€377
same in both
GasNatural gas, regulated tariff
no data
Income tax refunded by the municipalityMachico gives back 1%, Santa Cruz gives back 1%
€20€20
same in both
Total per yearItems with data for both
€5,706€7,729
€2,023less in Machico
1 Property tax estimated using a taxable value (VPT) of 50% of market price. Enter the VPT from your property record for an exact figure.
Average rate on new housing loans: 3.00% (August 2026, Banco de Portugal).
excluded from comparison (missing for the other municipality)
Source: Portal das Finanças, taxas de IMI por município · 2025 · Source: Portal das Finanças, participação dos municípios no IRS · 2026 · Source: INE · 2nd quarter of 2026 · Energy: ERSE, October 2026
Beyond the cost
Mortgage payment ÷ 1 × local median gross salary
40%54%
14%better in Machico
House price rise over 5 yearsMedian sale price (€/m²), over 5 years
+112%+126%
14 pointsrose more in Santa Cruz
Crime rateRecorded crimes per 1 000 residents
23.3/100016.6/1000
6.7/1000better in Santa Cruz
Average commuteOne way to work or school
19 min19 min
same in both
Average salary (gross)Average monthly earnings, by place of work
€1,342/month€1,343/month
€1/monthbetter in Santa Cruz
Median salary (gross)Half of workers earn less than this, by place of work
€1,082/month€1,095/month
€13/monthbetter in Santa Cruz
Purchasing power (Portugal = 100)Per-capita index
82.876.9
5.9better in Machico
PharmaciesPer 1,000 people
0.20/10000.20/1000
same in both
Nearest emergency departmentAverage straight-line distance from where residents live to the nearest hospital emergency department
2.5 km7.0 km
4.5 kmbetter in Machico
CrèchesPublic, non-profit (IPSS) and private crèches and childminders, children under 3 (above 100: more places than children)
