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: $1,231 in Cayo Coco versus $1,568 in Palma Soriano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,675 in Cayo Coco versus $1,880 in Palma Soriano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,119 in Cayo Coco versus $2,193 in Palma Soriano.

Living in Cayo Coco costs roughly 21% less than in Palma Soriano, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayo Coco is 8% below, Palma Soriano is 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.08 CUP 122

$5.01 CUP 120

1.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.98 CUP 359

$25.43 CUP 610

-41.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 CUP 170

$4.93 CUP 118

43.41%

Cappuccino

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$3.15 CUP 75.5

-67.62%

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

$2.04 CUP 48.85

$1.26 CUP 30.28

61.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.49

$0.92 CUP 22.04

6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 CUP 49.02

$3.04 CUP 72.9

-32.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$2.42 CUP 58.1

23.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 CUP 74.1

$2.05 CUP 49.13

50.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 CUP 23.42

$1.42 CUP 34.16

-30.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CUP 47.56

$1.02 CUP 24.41

94.12%

Eggs

$3.63 CUP 87.2

$1.21 CUP 29.12

200.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 CUP 143

$6.16 CUP 148

-3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$6.12 CUP 147

-16.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 CUP 239

$10.82 CUP 260

-7.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 CUP 118

$1.90 CUP 45.58

157.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$1.22 CUP 29.37

-19.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$1.46 CUP 35.01

-30.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$1.46 CUP 34.97

-30.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.30

$0.99 CUP 23.75

-2.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$0.98 CUP 23.53

196.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.40

$1.02 CUP 24.41

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CUP 24.29

$1.12 CUP 26.96

-9.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 CUP 72.4

$3.06 CUP 73.4

-1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 CUP 238

$9.89 CUP 237

0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.30

$2.98 CUP 71.6

-33.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CUP 47.62

$2.04 CUP 48.99

-2.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 CUP 6.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.90 CUP 478

$29.80 CUP 715

-33.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$1.82 CUP 43.75

-43.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.27

$0.36 CUP 8.69

180.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.96 CUP 479

$12.72 CUP 305

56.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 CUP 23.76

$1.12 CUP 26.84

-11.61%

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

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

$65.4K CUP 1.6M

7.38%

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

$80.7K CUP 1.9M

$46.2K CUP 1.1M

74.70%

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

$40.10 CUP 962

$54.2 CUP 1,300

-25.95%

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

$39.74 CUP 954

$10.05 CUP 241

295.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,245

$146 CUP 3,499

49.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 CUP 968

$40.49 CUP 972

-0.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

$9.92 CUP 238

2.22%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$0.98 CUP 23.45

4.08%

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

$89.5 CUP 2,147

$99.9 CUP 2,397

-10.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K CUP 353.1K

$12.2K CUP 292.5K

20.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.86 CUP 957

$64.0 CUP 1,536

-37.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 CUP 710

$34.89 CUP 837

-15.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 CUP 1,825

$86.6 CUP 2,079

-12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 CUP 1,923

$111 CUP 2,674

-28.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 CUP 9,623

$880 CUP 21.1K

-54.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 CUP 10.1K

$798 CUP 19.2K

-47.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 CUP 25.2K

$743 CUP 17.8K

41.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 CUP 15.1K

$654 CUP 15.7K

-3.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$305 CUP 7,331

$314 CUP 7,545

-2.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$350 CUP 8,403

$330 CUP 7,920

6.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.05 CUP 481

$39.79 CUP 955

-49.61%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Palma Soriano: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Cayo Coco and $880 in Palma Soriano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma Soriano pays 98% 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 $235 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 27% 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, Palma Soriano earns 98% 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 $880 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 50% less than in Palma Soriano. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.5 in Cayo Coco versus $99.9 in Palma Soriano. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,231 in Cayo Coco versus $1,568 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 27% less than in Palma Soriano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.