Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayamo and Varadero Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayamo and Varadero

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,448 in Bayamo versus $1,345 in Varadero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,984 in Bayamo versus $1,764 in Varadero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,519 in Bayamo versus $2,183 in Varadero.

Living in Bayamo is roughly 8% more expensive than in Varadero, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayamo is 5% above, Varadero is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 CUP 77.1

$4.40 CUP 106

-27.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.75 CUP 738

$19.65 CUP 472

56.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 CUP 163

$6.90 CUP 166

-1.74%

Cappuccino

$2.17 CUP 52.1

$1.55 CUP 37.31

40.00%

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

$1.28 CUP 30.64

$2.00 CUP 48.11

-36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 CUP 25.56

$0.91 CUP 21.96

16.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 CUP 46.97

$2.57 CUP 61.7

-23.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 CUP 42.67

$3.49 CUP 83.7

-49.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 CUP 60.2

$2.95 CUP 70.7

-14.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 CUP 23.37

$1.51 CUP 36.15

-35.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 CUP 58.5

$1.45 CUP 34.77

68.28%

Eggs

$4.32 CUP 104

$2.15 CUP 51.5

100.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 CUP 107

$5.83 CUP 140

-23.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.31 CUP 152

$4.54 CUP 109

38.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 CUP 226

$11.67 CUP 280

-19.45%

Apples (1kg)

$7.33 CUP 176

$3.41 CUP 81.7

114.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CUP 29.32

$1.01 CUP 24.13

20.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 CUP 29.36

$1.57 CUP 37.64

-22.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 CUP 30.71

$1.60 CUP 38.43

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 CUP 58.3

$2.14 CUP 51.5

13.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 CUP 49.10

$3.89 CUP 93.4

-47.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.32

$0.71 CUP 17.10

42.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 CUP 36.25

$0.57 CUP 13.80

164.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 CUP 95.5

$3.78 CUP 90.8

5.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 CUP 243

$5.55 CUP 133

82.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.24

$0.89 CUP 21.37

121.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 CUP 36.97

$2.10 CUP 50.4

-26.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 CUP 4.39

$0.10 CUP 2.47

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.32 CUP 416

$15.38 CUP 369

12.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 CUP 56.1

$1.98 CUP 47.48

18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 CUP 17.19

$1.02 CUP 24.36

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.77 CUP 475

$20.04 CUP 481

-1.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CUP 30.79

$1.33 CUP 31.93

-3.76%

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

$58.4K CUP 1.4M

$70.0K CUP 1.7M

-16.60%

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

$91.4K CUP 2.2M

$79.5K CUP 1.9M

15.01%

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

$29.51 CUP 708

$40.56 CUP 973

-27.24%

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

$12.37 CUP 297

$39.41 CUP 946

-68.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$250 CUP 5,997

$220 CUP 5,269

13.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.91 CUP 958

$39.82 CUP 956

0.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.15 CUP 124

$14.85 CUP 356

-65.32%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.65

$1.01 CUP 24.34

1.98%

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

$94.6 CUP 2,270

$91.7 CUP 2,201

3.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CUP 354.9K

$14.7K CUP 353.3K

0.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.07 CUP 602

$39.25 CUP 942

-36.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.33 CUP 536

$30.25 CUP 726

-26.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 CUP 1,653

$74.5 CUP 1,788

-7.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.76 CUP 1,002

$84.9 CUP 2,038

-50.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 CUP 10.3K

$508 CUP 12.2K

-15.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 CUP 16.1K

$568 CUP 13.6K

17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 CUP 14.1K

$1,186 CUP 28.5K

-50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 CUP 22.9K

$646 CUP 15.5K

47.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$390 CUP 9,352

$390 CUP 9,363

-0.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 CUP 8,512

$356 CUP 8,555

-0.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.38 CUP 489

$19.05 CUP 457

6.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-60.00%

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

Last update for Bayamo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varadero: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Bayamo and $508 in Varadero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayamo pays 7% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bayamo vs $20.00 in Varadero for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $215 per month, with Varadero 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 Varadero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varadero is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet, Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 7% higher in Bayamo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $430 in Bayamo versus $508 in Varadero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Varadero – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $31.00 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,448 per month in Bayamo versus $1,345 in Varadero – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,345 in Varadero versus $1,448 in Bayamo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Varadero but tight or insufficient in Bayamo. The gap between the two cities makes Varadero 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 Varadero gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.