São Vicente vs Santa Cruz: which Madeira town suits you?
São Vicente has cheaper homes to buy; Santa Cruz has more grocery stores on foot, more pharmacies on foot and more cafés on foot.
São Vicente
6,063 peopleChoose São Vicente if you want
- Cheaper homes to buy in the municipality (€1,825/m², against €2,853/m²)
Santa Cruz
6,010 peopleChoose Santa Cruz if you want
- More grocery stores within a 15-minute walk (3, against 1)
- More pharmacies within a 15-minute walk (2, against 0)
- More cafés within a 15-minute walk (5, against 2)
- More restaurants within a 15-minute walk (13, against 4)
Side by side
Bold marks the better value where one is clearly better and both values are precise.
Climate
Regional · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| Measure | São Vicente | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| January high | 18°C | 18°C |
| January low | 15°C | 15°C |
| July high | 26°C | 24°C |
| Days above 35°C a year | 0 | 0 |
| Nights above 20°C a year | 134 | 107 |
| Frost days a year | 0 | 0 |
| Days with rain a year | 117 | 118 |
| Daylight on 21 December | 9 h 59 min | 10 h 00 min |
| Sea in August | 22°C | 23°C |
Daily life within a 15-minute walk
| Measure | São Vicente | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Grocery stores | 1 | 3 |
| Pharmacies | 0 | 2 |
| Doctors and clinics | 0 | 1 |
| Cafés | 2 | 5 |
| Restaurants | 4 | 13 |
Getting around
| Measure | São Vicente | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest train station | – | – |
| Nearest bus station | 14 km | 4.4 km |
| Nearest hospital | 19 km | 9.6 km |
| Nearest beach | 6.2 km | 4.4 km |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | 27 km | 2.1 km |
Housing and safety (whole municipality)
| Measure | São Vicente | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Median rent per m², per month | – | €9.02/m² |
| Sale price per m² | €1,825/m² | €2,853/m² |
| Sale price change, 5 years | +143% | +126% |
| Crimes recorded per 1,000 residents | 14.3 | 16.6 |
People
| Measure | São Vicente | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,063 | 6,010 |
| Aged 65 and over | 25.1% | 18.2% |
| Under 15 | 12.2% | 13.9% |
| Born in another country | 11.9% | 10.0% |
Natural hazards
| Measure | São Vicente | Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|
| Earthquakes of M5+ within 100 km since 1900 | 1 | 1 |
Month by month
Regional · ERA5-Land 1991-2020| High | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| São Vicente | 18° | 18° | 19° | 19° | 21° | 24° | 26° | 27° | 26° | 23° | 21° | 19° |
| Santa Cruz | 18° | 17° | 18° | 19° | 20° | 23° | 24° | 26° | 25° | 23° | 20° | 19° |
At least one town's climate values are only known for the wider area, so the months are shown but not compared. São Vicente in November · Santa Cruz in November
São Vicente or Santa Cruz: common questions
Which is warmer in winter, São Vicente or Santa Cruz?
Average January highs are 18°C in São Vicente and 18°C in Santa Cruz, but the figure for São Vicente and Santa Cruz is only known for the wider area, so the difference is not reliable.
Which has more shops within walking distance?
Santa Cruz: 3 grocery stores within a 15-minute walk of the centre, against 1 in São Vicente.
Which is closer to an airport?
Both use Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC): 27 km from São Vicente and 2.1 km from Santa Cruz, in a straight line.
Cite or link
hexplace (2026). São Vicente vs Santa Cruz: climate, homes and daily life compared. https://hexplace.org/portugal/compare/sao-vicente-vs-santa-cruz/