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: $1,495 in Bayamo versus $1,276 in Santa Lucia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,066 in Bayamo versus $1,800 in Santa Lucia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,638 in Bayamo versus $2,324 in Santa Lucia.

Living in Bayamo is roughly 17% more expensive than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayamo is 12% above, Santa Lucia is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.22 CUP 77.3

$9.84 CUP 236

-67.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 CUP 1,202

$29.90 CUP 718

67.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 CUP 162

$7.20 CUP 173

-6.11%

Cappuccino

$3.18 CUP 76.3

$3.29 CUP 78.9

-3.34%

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

$1.27 CUP 30.52

$1.08 CUP 26.02

17.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 CUP 26.66

$0.87 CUP 20.97

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 CUP 48.38

$1.97 CUP 47.35

2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CUP 42.91

$3.05 CUP 73.2

-41.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 CUP 70.3

$1.99 CUP 47.83

47.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 CUP 23.49

$1.81 CUP 43.38

-45.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.94 CUP 70.5

$1.52 CUP 36.57

93.42%

Eggs

$3.55 CUP 85.3

$3.56 CUP 85.5

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 CUP 141

$6.21 CUP 149

-5.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 CUP 143

$5.72 CUP 137

4.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.09 CUP 290

$10.80 CUP 259

11.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 CUP 123

$2.76 CUP 66.3

85.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CUP 28.38

$1.52 CUP 36.46

-22.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 36.86

$2.08 CUP 49.88

-25.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 CUP 36.68

$2.31 CUP 55.5

-33.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CUP 47.51

$2.03 CUP 48.79

-2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.96 CUP 70.9

$1.71 CUP 41.15

73.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 CUP 23.35

$1.01 CUP 24.25

-3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CUP 26.80

$0.99 CUP 23.69

13.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 CUP 93.8

$3.96 CUP 95.0

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.94 CUP 239

$11.94 CUP 287

-16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 CUP 46.77

$1.64 CUP 39.35

18.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CUP 47.51

$2.39 CUP 57.4

-17.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 CUP 5.51

$0.22 CUP 5.33

4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.35 CUP 824

$25.27 CUP 606

35.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 CUP 54.0

$3.26 CUP 78.3

-30.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 CUP 9.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.73 CUP 473

$15.20 CUP 365

29.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 CUP 29.23

$1.07 CUP 25.80

14.02%

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

$74.3K CUP 1.8M

$71.3K CUP 1.7M

4.29%

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

$90.9K CUP 2.2M

$81.4K CUP 2.0M

11.68%

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

$30.16 CUP 724

$35.39 CUP 849

-14.78%

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

$9.95 CUP 239

$14.82 CUP 356

-32.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$249 CUP 5,977

$247 CUP 5,930

0.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.90 CUP 958

$39.37 CUP 945

1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.08 CUP 242

$15.01 CUP 360

-32.84%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.57

$0.98 CUP 23.40

4.08%

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

$93.2 CUP 2,236

$162 CUP 3,888

-42.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K CUP 361.7K

$3,930 CUP 94.3K

283.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.05 CUP 481

$70.4 CUP 1,690

-71.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.32 CUP 608

$55.5 CUP 1,331

-54.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.4 CUP 1,713

$98.2 CUP 2,358

-27.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 CUP 1,337

$106 CUP 2,554

-47.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 CUP 10.1K

$554 CUP 13.3K

-24.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 CUP 15.8K

$348 CUP 8,341

89.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 CUP 14.4K

$746 CUP 17.9K

-19.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$962 CUP 23.1K

$499 CUP 12.0K

92.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$389 CUP 9,344

$344 CUP 8,264

13.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$347 CUP 8,326

$369 CUP 8,859

-6.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.22 CUP 485

$56.9 CUP 1,366

-64.48%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $420 in Bayamo and $554 in Santa Lucia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 182% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $50.0 in Bayamo vs $30.00 in Santa Lucia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $243 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 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Santa Lucia earns 182% less. 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: $420 in Bayamo versus $554 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 $50.0 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,495 per month in Bayamo versus $1,276 in Santa Lucia – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,276 in Santa Lucia versus $1,495 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 17% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.