Affordable rent · RSAA
Affordable rent in Santa Cruz: RSAA rent ceilings
Under the RSAA, the monthly rent in Santa Cruz cannot exceed €486 for a T0, €623 for a T1, €810 for a T2 or €998 for a T3. In return, the rent is exempt from IRS.
- Official source: Diário da República
- Portaria n.º 454/2026/1
- Data of 22 October 2026
Photo: Koshelyev · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Key figures
Monthly ceilings in Santa Cruz
The T2 ceiling ranks 32nd highest of 308 municipalities and 8th of 11 in Madeira.
- T0, maximum rent per month
- €486
- T1, maximum rent per month
- €623
- T2, maximum rent per month
- €810
- T3, maximum rent per month
- €998
Simulator
Work out the ceiling for your property
The ceilings
Rent ceilings by size in Santa Cruz
| Size | Ceiling | +10% parking | +10% class A or A+ | +20% both |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T0 | €486 | €534.60 | €534.60 | €583.20 |
| T1 | €623 | €685.30 | €685.30 | €747.60 |
| T2 | €810 | €891 | €891 | €972 |
| T3 | €998 | €1,097.80 | €1,097.80 | €1,197.60 |
| T4 | €1,092 | €1,201.20 | €1,201.20 | €1,310.40 |
| T5 | €1,279 | €1,406.90 | €1,406.90 | €1,534.80 |
Cumulative uplifts (art. 2(4)). Above T5, add €75 per bedroom beyond the fifth: a T6 has a ceiling of €1,354.
The ceiling against the Santa Cruz market
The T2 ceiling (€810) is 7% below the market estimate: letting at the ceiling costs the landlord about €65 a month. The quartiles of the T2 estimate run from €645 to €1,130: the ceiling sits between the 1st quartile and the median. With private parking and class A or A+, the T2 ceiling rises to €972 and covers the estimate.
| Size | RSAA ceiling (€/month) | Market est. (€/month) | Difference | Ceiling (€/m²) | Market (€/m²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 · 48 m² | 623 | 610 | +2 % | 12.98 | 12.71 |
| T2 · 85 m² | 810 | 875 | −7 % | 9.53 | 10.29 |
| T3 · 115 m² | 998 | 905 | +10 % | 8.68 | 7.87 |
Aluseg estimate, not an official figure: INE median of €10.48/m² (2025, 278 new leases) × INE size ratio for Região Autónoma da Madeira × reference floor area. See the Santa Cruz rental market.
The ceiling against income in Santa Cruz
A person on the median income in Santa Cruz receives €1,144 a month after income tax (INE, 2024). The T2 ceiling (€810) takes 71 % of that income, against 77 % for the market rent (€875). For a couple on two median incomes, 35 % against 38 %.
Income per person after income tax, not household income: see how we read this number.
Looking for an affordable-rent home in Santa Cruz?
Ask the landlord whether the lease will be in the RSAA (they file it with the IHRU, art. 6) and check the advert: up to €623 for a T1, €810 for a T2.
IRS saved at the ceiling in Santa Cruz
A T2 in Santa Cruz let at the ceiling earns €9,720 a year. Outside the RSAA, IRS on that gross rent would reach €2,430 (25% rate) or €972 (10% rate, for rents up to €2,300 a month). Under the RSAA, the tax is €0.
| Size | Rent at the ceiling (€/month) | Rent per year (€) | IRS at 25% (€/year) | IRS at 10% (€/year) | IRS under the RSAA (€/year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T0 | 486 | 5,832 | 1,458 | 583.20 | 0 |
| T1 | 623 | 7,476 | 1,869 | 747.60 | 0 |
| T2 | 810 | 9,720 | 2,430 | 972 | 0 |
| T3 | 998 | 11,976 | 2,994 | 1,197.60 | 0 |
| T4 | 1,092 | 13,104 | 3,276 | 1,310.40 | 0 |
| T5 | 1,279 | 15,348 | 3,837 | 1,534.80 | 0 |
Gross rent, no deductible expenses. Exemption: art. 6 of annex III. Rates: Landlord IRS in 2026.
Ceilings in Madeira
Santa Cruz has the 8th highest T2 ceiling of 11 municipalities in Madeira. The highest is Funchal (€1,034) and the lowest is Calheta (€504). The district median is €898: Santa Cruz is 10% below the median.
| Municipality | T0 (€/month) | T1 (€/month) | T2 (€/month) | T3 (€/month) | T2 market, est. (€/month) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funchal | 620 | 794 | 1,034 | 1,273 | 1,090 | −5 % |
| Ponta do Sol | 539 | 690 | 898 | 1,106 | – | – |
| Porto Moniz | 539 | 690 | 898 | 1,106 | – | – |
| Porto Santo | 539 | 690 | 898 | 1,106 | 730 | +23 % |
| Ribeira Brava | 539 | 690 | 898 | 1,106 | 510 | +76 % |
| Santana | 539 | 690 | 898 | 1,106 | – | – |
| São Vicente | 539 | 690 | 898 | 1,106 | – | – |
| Santa Cruz | 486 | 623 | 810 | 998 | 875 | −7 % |
| Machico | 364 | 531 | 671 | 784 | 495 | +36 % |
| Câmara de Lobos | 365 | 467 | 608 | 749 | 600 | +1 % |
| Calheta | 280 | 392 | 504 | 587 | 535 | −6 % |
From the highest T2 ceiling to the lowest. Market: Aluseg estimate from INE data; – = no data.
Rent under the RSAA with everything in order
Lease, Tax Authority and rent receipts in a free account.
FAQ: affordable rent in Santa Cruz
What is the maximum rent for a T2 in Santa Cruz under the RSAA?
€810 a month, the 32nd highest ceiling in the country. With private parking or an energy certificate of A or A+ it rises to €891; with both, to €972.
Is the T2 ceiling in Santa Cruz above or below the market rent?
It is 7% below the Aluseg estimate for an 85 m² T2, about €875 a month (INE, 2025).
How do I get the IRS exemption?
Report the lease to the Tax Authority and file it with the IHRU by 15 January of the following year. See the RSAA guide.
What if the rent goes over the ceiling?
The exemption is lost from the breach and the tax is settled with compensatory interest (art. 7 of annex III).
Sources and methodology
Source: Portaria n.º 454/2026/1, de 13 de outubro (PDF) and Decree-Law 97/2026, annex III, read on 22 October 2026. Uplifts calculated by us (art. 2(4)). For information only, not legal or tax advice.