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 $1,293 in Santa Lucia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,108 in Bayamo versus $1,823 in Santa Lucia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Bayamo versus $2,353 in Santa Lucia.

Living in Bayamo is roughly 16% more expensive than in Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayamo is 9% above, Santa Lucia is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.23 CUP 77.5

$10.18 CUP 244

-68.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 CUP 1,219

$29.76 CUP 714

70.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 CUP 165

$7.16 CUP 172

-3.91%

Cappuccino

$3.31 CUP 79.5

$3.39 CUP 81.5

-2.36%

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

$1.47 CUP 35.36

$1.12 CUP 26.92

31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 CUP 27.11

$0.92 CUP 22.10

22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 CUP 48.24

$1.96 CUP 47.05

2.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 CUP 41.08

$2.91 CUP 69.8

-41.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.99 CUP 71.7

$1.93 CUP 46.20

54.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 CUP 23.35

$1.80 CUP 43.27

-46.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.03 CUP 72.8

$1.48 CUP 35.56

104.73%

Eggs

$3.67 CUP 88.2

$3.64 CUP 87.4

0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 CUP 140

$6.25 CUP 150

-6.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 CUP 147

$5.72 CUP 137

7.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 CUP 290

$11.08 CUP 266

9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 CUP 116

$2.78 CUP 66.6

74.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CUP 29.24

$1.53 CUP 36.79

-20.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 CUP 35.55

$2.02 CUP 48.43

-26.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CUP 35.00

$2.19 CUP 52.7

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 CUP 47.43

$1.97 CUP 47.25

0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 CUP 71.3

$1.80 CUP 43.13

65.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.55

$1.02 CUP 24.39

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CUP 27.10

$1.02 CUP 24.53

10.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 CUP 93.4

$4.11 CUP 98.7

-5.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.82 CUP 236

$11.84 CUP 284

-17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CUP 48.80

$1.64 CUP 39.30

23.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 CUP 49.12

$2.34 CUP 56.1

-12.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 CUP 5.38

$0.18 CUP 4.30

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.43 CUP 826

$25.29 CUP 607

36.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 CUP 53.4

$3.21 CUP 77.1

-30.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 CUP 9.87

$0.39 CUP 9.27

5.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.28 CUP 487

$15.03 CUP 361

34.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CUP 30.78

$1.07 CUP 25.65

19.63%

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

$75.8K CUP 1.8M

$70.9K CUP 1.7M

6.82%

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

$90.6K CUP 2.2M

$79.0K CUP 1.9M

14.68%

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

$29.70 CUP 713

$34.71 CUP 833

-14.43%

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

$10.05 CUP 241

$15.23 CUP 366

-34.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$247 CUP 5,933

$249 CUP 5,970

-0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.56 CUP 973

$40.13 CUP 963

1.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.93 CUP 238

$15.14 CUP 363

-34.41%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$1.02 CUP 24.45

-3.92%

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

$94.0 CUP 2,256

$168 CUP 4,026

-43.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K CUP 363.1K

$4,017 CUP 96.4K

276.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.08 CUP 482

$69.7 CUP 1,672

-71.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.84 CUP 596

$55.6 CUP 1,335

-55.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 CUP 1,686

$98.2 CUP 2,356

-28.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.7 CUP 1,336

$107 CUP 2,561

-47.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 CUP 10.3K

$558 CUP 13.4K

-22.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 CUP 16.4K

$353 CUP 8,474

93.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 CUP 14.2K

$752 CUP 18.1K

-21.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 CUP 23.2K

$505 CUP 12.1K

91.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$388 CUP 9,319

$345 CUP 8,282

12.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$357 CUP 8,560

$368 CUP 8,833

-3.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.19 CUP 485

$56.3 CUP 1,351

-64.14%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Bayamo and $558 in Santa Lucia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 179% 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 $259 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 179% 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: $430 in Bayamo versus $558 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 $1,495 per month in Bayamo versus $1,293 in Santa Lucia – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,293 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 16% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.