Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Palma Soriano Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Palma Soriano

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,205 in Cayo Coco versus $1,582 in Palma Soriano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,691 in Cayo Coco versus $1,882 in Palma Soriano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,177 in Cayo Coco versus $2,181 in Palma Soriano.

Living in Cayo Coco costs roughly 24% less than in Palma Soriano, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayo Coco is 13% below, Palma Soriano is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 CUP 117

$4.89 CUP 117

-0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.97 CUP 359

$25.23 CUP 606

-40.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 CUP 164

$5.03 CUP 121

36.18%

Cappuccino

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$3.23 CUP 77.6

-68.42%

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

$2.02 CUP 48.57

$1.29 CUP 30.88

56.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.62

$0.88 CUP 21.16

11.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 CUP 47.01

$2.95 CUP 70.8

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 CUP 70.7

$2.38 CUP 57.1

23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$1.96 CUP 47.10

48.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$1.43 CUP 34.37

-28.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 CUP 49.09

$1.03 CUP 24.68

99.03%

Eggs

$3.69 CUP 88.6

$1.22 CUP 29.25

202.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 CUP 140

$6.09 CUP 146

-4.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 CUP 123

$6.08 CUP 146

-15.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 CUP 243

$11.21 CUP 269

-9.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 CUP 118

$1.86 CUP 44.67

163.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 CUP 24.72

$1.21 CUP 29.11

-14.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 CUP 24.61

$1.47 CUP 35.22

-29.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.63

$1.53 CUP 36.70

-35.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.61

$1.02 CUP 24.51

-3.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 CUP 72.8

$0.97 CUP 23.29

212.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.59

$1.01 CUP 24.36

-2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.57

$1.07 CUP 25.73

-8.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 CUP 73.8

$3.04 CUP 73.1

1.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 CUP 236

$9.99 CUP 240

-1.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 CUP 48.83

$2.96 CUP 71.2

-31.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CUP 47.09

$1.96 CUP 46.92

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 CUP 5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.29 CUP 487

$30.20 CUP 725

-32.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$1.83 CUP 43.85

-44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.27

$0.37 CUP 8.76

172.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.34 CUP 488

$12.88 CUP 309

57.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 CUP 23.46

$1.18 CUP 28.42

-16.95%

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

$69.4K CUP 1.7M

$65.7K CUP 1.6M

5.64%

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

$78.7K CUP 1.9M

$46.7K CUP 1.1M

68.32%

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

$40.14 CUP 963

$55.2 CUP 1,325

-27.28%

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

$39.72 CUP 953

$10.15 CUP 244

291.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,268

$150 CUP 3,593

46.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.25 CUP 942

$40.60 CUP 974

-3.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 CUP 245

$10.12 CUP 243

0.69%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.66

$0.98 CUP 23.50

5.10%

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

$91.3 CUP 2,192

$100 CUP 2,407

-8.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CUP 356.9K

$11.9K CUP 285.6K

24.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.44 CUP 970

$64.5 CUP 1,549

-37.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 CUP 711

$34.65 CUP 831

-14.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 CUP 1,765

$83.6 CUP 2,006

-12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 CUP 1,925

$111 CUP 2,652

-27.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 CUP 9,762

$867 CUP 20.8K

-53.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$420 CUP 10.1K

$791 CUP 19.0K

-46.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 CUP 25.2K

$742 CUP 17.8K

41.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 CUP 14.7K

$646 CUP 15.5K

-4.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$304 CUP 7,297

$322 CUP 7,737

-5.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$345 CUP 8,286

$326 CUP 7,818

5.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.09 CUP 482

$40.19 CUP 964

-50.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

20.05%

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

Last update for Cayo Coco: September 7, 2026

Last update for Palma Soriano: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Cayo Coco and $867 in Palma Soriano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma Soriano pays 100% 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: $15.00 in Cayo Coco vs $25.00 in Palma Soriano. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $216, with Palma Soriano 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 Palma Soriano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Palma Soriano. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 100% lower in Palma Soriano. 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: $407 in Cayo Coco versus $867 in Palma Soriano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 49% less than in Palma Soriano. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $91.3 in Cayo Coco versus $100 in Palma Soriano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,205 in Cayo Coco versus $1,582 in Palma Soriano, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Palma Soriano. The gap between the two cities makes Cayo Coco 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 Cayo Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Palma Soriano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.