Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayamo and Santa Lucia Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayamo and Santa Lucia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,462 in Bayamo versus $1,291 in Santa Lucia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,050 in Bayamo versus $1,809 in Santa Lucia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,639 in Bayamo versus $2,326 in Santa Lucia.

Living in Bayamo is roughly 13% more expensive than in Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayamo is 10% above, Santa Lucia is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.27 CUP 78.5

$9.81 CUP 236

-66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 CUP 1,213

$30.14 CUP 723

67.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 CUP 163

$7.21 CUP 173

-5.55%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CUP 77.4

$3.35 CUP 80.5

-3.58%

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

$1.27 CUP 30.46

$1.07 CUP 25.66

18.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 CUP 25.62

$0.87 CUP 20.88

22.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 CUP 49.38

$1.98 CUP 47.55

4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CUP 40.99

$2.93 CUP 70.3

-41.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$2.00 CUP 47.96

45.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 CUP 24.26

$1.81 CUP 43.39

-44.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.08 CUP 73.9

$1.54 CUP 36.84

100.00%

Eggs

$3.55 CUP 85.2

$3.72 CUP 89.2

-4.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 CUP 140

$6.38 CUP 153

-8.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 CUP 143

$5.72 CUP 137

4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 CUP 291

$11.04 CUP 265

9.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 CUP 120

$2.77 CUP 66.4

81.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CUP 28.25

$1.51 CUP 36.24

-21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 CUP 35.40

$2.03 CUP 48.67

-27.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 CUP 35.45

$2.27 CUP 54.6

-34.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CUP 46.86

$2.02 CUP 48.55

-3.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 CUP 73.4

$1.72 CUP 41.30

77.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 CUP 24.71

$1.02 CUP 24.49

0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 CUP 25.79

$0.98 CUP 23.57

9.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 CUP 98.4

$3.91 CUP 93.9

4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 CUP 237

$12.20 CUP 293

-19.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CUP 48.38

$1.67 CUP 40.04

20.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CUP 48.29

$2.40 CUP 57.6

-16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 CUP 5.30

$0.21 CUP 4.97

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.56 CUP 829

$25.16 CUP 604

37.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 CUP 53.7

$3.19 CUP 76.6

-29.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 CUP 9.32

$0.38 CUP 9.16

2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.03 CUP 481

$14.78 CUP 355

35.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CUP 30.69

$1.03 CUP 24.68

24.27%

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

$75.6K CUP 1.8M

$70.3K CUP 1.7M

7.44%

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

$91.0K CUP 2.2M

$80.2K CUP 1.9M

13.43%

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

$30.60 CUP 734

$35.02 CUP 840

-12.62%

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

$9.95 CUP 239

$14.95 CUP 359

-33.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$253 CUP 6,072

$252 CUP 6,042

0.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.58 CUP 974

$40.32 CUP 968

0.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.93 CUP 238

$15.30 CUP 367

-35.10%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.69

$1.03 CUP 24.71

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

$95.7 CUP 2,297

$163 CUP 3,909

-41.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CUP 356.6K

$4,070 CUP 97.7K

265.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.70 CUP 473

$70.9 CUP 1,703

-72.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.89 CUP 597

$54.4 CUP 1,305

-54.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 CUP 1,702

$102 CUP 2,447

-30.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 CUP 1,345

$106 CUP 2,554

-47.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 CUP 10.4K

$546 CUP 13.1K

-20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 CUP 15.8K

$357 CUP 8,556

84.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 CUP 14.2K

$757 CUP 18.2K

-21.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 CUP 23.3K

$494 CUP 11.9K

96.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$400 CUP 9,597

$335 CUP 8,031

19.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$354 CUP 8,499

$368 CUP 8,821

-3.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.66 CUP 472

$56.1 CUP 1,347

-64.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

21.46%

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

Last update for Bayamo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Bayamo and $546 in Santa Lucia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 185% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $51.0 in Bayamo vs $30.00 in Santa Lucia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $245 per month, with Santa Lucia cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bayamo vs Santa Lucia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Lucia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 185% lower in Santa Lucia. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Bayamo versus $546 in Santa Lucia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Lucia – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $51.0 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,462 per month in Bayamo versus $1,291 in Santa Lucia – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,291 in Santa Lucia versus $1,462 in Bayamo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santa Lucia but tight or insufficient in Bayamo. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Lucia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Santa Lucia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.