Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Cienfuegos Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Cienfuegos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,221 in Cayo Coco versus $1,164 in Cienfuegos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,683 in Cayo Coco versus $1,662 in Cienfuegos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,145 in Cayo Coco versus $2,159 in Cienfuegos.

Living in Cayo Coco is roughly 5% more expensive than in Cienfuegos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 9% lower, Cienfuegos 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.11 CUP 123

$8.70 CUP 209

-41.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.03 CUP 361

$25.22 CUP 605

-40.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 CUP 164

$6.27 CUP 151

9.09%

Cappuccino

$0.98 CUP 23.55

$1.98 CUP 47.43

-50.51%

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

$2.06 CUP 49.33

$4.13 CUP 99.1

-50.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.70

$1.02 CUP 24.40

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 CUP 47.53

$1.31 CUP 31.47

51.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$1.65 CUP 39.54

80.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$2.05 CUP 49.28

48.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 CUP 23.40

$0.68 CUP 16.22

42.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.68

$1.47 CUP 35.39

38.10%

Eggs

$3.66 CUP 87.8

$3.59 CUP 86.2

1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 CUP 147

$3.95 CUP 94.9

54.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$3.63 CUP 87.2

41.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 CUP 241

$7.04 CUP 169

42.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 CUP 123

$4.65 CUP 112

10.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.57

$1.22 CUP 29.16

-16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.62

$1.41 CUP 33.88

-30.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.54

$1.64 CUP 39.28

-40.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.42

$1.59 CUP 38.23

-38.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$2.01 CUP 48.28

51.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.35

$0.73 CUP 17.47

38.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$0.81 CUP 19.39

20.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 CUP 70.4

$2.47 CUP 59.2

18.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 CUP 237

$6.44 CUP 155

53.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CUP 47.70

$1.93 CUP 46.32

3.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CUP 48.34

$1.93 CUP 46.33

4.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 CUP 8.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.26 CUP 486

$19.73 CUP 474

2.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.45

$0.97 CUP 23.33

5.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 CUP 23.43

$0.49 CUP 11.70

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.31 CUP 488

$13.57 CUP 326

49.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 CUP 24.49

$1.24 CUP 29.66

-17.74%

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

$71.4K CUP 1.7M

$50.0K CUP 1.2M

42.83%

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

$79.2K CUP 1.9M

$63.4K CUP 1.5M

25.03%

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

$39.22 CUP 941

$34.30 CUP 823

14.34%

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

$40.69 CUP 977

$40.11 CUP 963

1.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$217 CUP 5,199

$250 CUP 5,990

-13.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 CUP 963

$39.42 CUP 946

1.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

$10.16 CUP 244

-0.20%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$1.03 CUP 24.67

-0.97%

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

$89.4 CUP 2,146

$109 CUP 2,613

-17.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

$10.2K CUP 244.8K

49.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 CUP 971

$35.22 CUP 845

14.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 CUP 728

$27.29 CUP 655

11.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 CUP 1,813

$58.6 CUP 1,407

28.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 CUP 1,883

$52.3 CUP 1,256

49.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 CUP 9,419

$366 CUP 8,782

7.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 CUP 10.2K

$371 CUP 8,915

14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 CUP 24.8K

$1,006 CUP 24.1K

2.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 CUP 14.9K

$605 CUP 14.5K

2.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$298 CUP 7,162

$346 CUP 8,315

-13.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 CUP 8,511

$242 CUP 5,805

46.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.91 CUP 478

$38.02 CUP 912

-47.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

49.93%

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

Last update for Cayo Coco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cienfuegos: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Cayo Coco and $366 in Cienfuegos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cienfuegos pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Cayo Coco vs $25.00 in Cienfuegos. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $191, with Cienfuegos cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cayo Coco vs Cienfuegos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cienfuegos wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Cayo Coco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cienfuegos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Cienfuegos. 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: $392 in Cayo Coco versus $366 in Cienfuegos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cienfuegos runs roughly 3% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.4 in Cayo Coco versus $109 in Cienfuegos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,164 in Cienfuegos versus $1,221 in Cayo Coco, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cienfuegos but tight or insufficient in Cayo Coco. The gap between the two cities makes Cienfuegos 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 Cienfuegos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Cayo Coco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.