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: $1,231 in Cayo Coco versus $1,167 in Cienfuegos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,675 in Cayo Coco versus $1,640 in Cienfuegos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,119 in Cayo Coco versus $2,113 in Cienfuegos.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 8% lower, Cienfuegos 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.08 CUP 122

$8.43 CUP 202

-39.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.98 CUP 359

$25.33 CUP 608

-40.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 CUP 170

$6.36 CUP 153

11.16%

Cappuccino

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$1.91 CUP 45.75

-46.60%

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

$2.04 CUP 48.85

$4.10 CUP 98.4

-50.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.49

$1.02 CUP 24.41

-3.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 CUP 49.02

$1.27 CUP 30.57

60.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$1.61 CUP 38.74

85.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 CUP 74.1

$1.98 CUP 47.59

56.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 CUP 23.42

$0.72 CUP 17.35

36.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CUP 47.56

$1.54 CUP 37.05

28.57%

Eggs

$3.63 CUP 87.2

$3.80 CUP 91.2

-4.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 CUP 143

$3.98 CUP 95.6

50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$3.54 CUP 85.0

45.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 CUP 239

$6.79 CUP 163

46.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 CUP 118

$4.63 CUP 111

5.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$1.15 CUP 27.66

-14.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$1.41 CUP 33.94

-27.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$1.67 CUP 40.05

-38.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.30

$1.60 CUP 38.48

-39.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$1.95 CUP 46.90

49.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.40

$0.72 CUP 17.38

36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CUP 24.29

$0.75 CUP 18.04

34.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 CUP 72.4

$2.46 CUP 59.0

22.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 CUP 238

$6.58 CUP 158

50.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.30

$1.85 CUP 44.42

6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CUP 47.62

$1.94 CUP 46.49

2.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 CUP 8.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.90 CUP 478

$20.25 CUP 486

-1.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$0.98 CUP 23.43

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.27

$0.52 CUP 12.52

94.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.96 CUP 479

$13.45 CUP 323

48.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 CUP 23.76

$1.23 CUP 29.52

-19.51%

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

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

$50.1K CUP 1.2M

40.09%

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

$80.7K CUP 1.9M

$62.7K CUP 1.5M

28.67%

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

$40.10 CUP 962

$35.38 CUP 849

13.34%

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

$39.74 CUP 954

$39.52 CUP 949

0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,245

$245 CUP 5,881

-10.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 CUP 968

$40.50 CUP 972

-0.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

$10.17 CUP 244

-0.29%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$0.98 CUP 23.55

4.08%

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

$89.5 CUP 2,147

$109 CUP 2,609

-17.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K CUP 353.1K

$10.2K CUP 243.9K

44.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.86 CUP 957

$34.54 CUP 829

15.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 CUP 710

$27.11 CUP 651

9.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 CUP 1,825

$58.1 CUP 1,395

30.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 CUP 1,923

$52.0 CUP 1,249

54.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 CUP 9,623

$363 CUP 8,702

10.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 CUP 10.1K

$367 CUP 8,803

14.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 CUP 25.2K

$1,009 CUP 24.2K

4.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 CUP 15.1K

$612 CUP 14.7K

3.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$305 CUP 7,331

$340 CUP 8,154

-10.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$350 CUP 8,403

$245 CUP 5,887

42.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.05 CUP 481

$38.09 CUP 914

-47.36%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cienfuegos: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Cayo Coco and $363 in Cienfuegos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cienfuegos pays 90% 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 $235 vs $189, 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, Cienfuegos earns 90% 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: $401 in Cayo Coco versus $363 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 2% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.5 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 $1,167 in Cienfuegos versus $1,231 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.