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: $1,221 in Cayo Coco versus $1,573 in Palma Soriano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,683 in Cayo Coco versus $1,875 in Palma Soriano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,145 in Cayo Coco versus $2,176 in Palma Soriano.

Living in Cayo Coco costs roughly 22% less than in Palma Soriano, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayo Coco is 9% below, Palma Soriano is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.11 CUP 123

$4.96 CUP 119

3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.03 CUP 361

$24.89 CUP 597

-39.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 CUP 164

$4.89 CUP 117

39.88%

Cappuccino

$0.98 CUP 23.55

$3.15 CUP 75.6

-68.89%

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

$2.06 CUP 49.33

$1.28 CUP 30.62

60.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.70

$0.93 CUP 22.33

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 CUP 47.53

$2.98 CUP 71.4

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$2.50 CUP 60.0

19.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$1.97 CUP 47.25

54.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 CUP 23.40

$1.42 CUP 34.11

-31.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.68

$0.97 CUP 23.35

109.28%

Eggs

$3.66 CUP 87.8

$1.23 CUP 29.42

197.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 CUP 147

$5.96 CUP 143

2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$6.12 CUP 147

-16.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 CUP 241

$11.17 CUP 268

-10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 CUP 123

$1.83 CUP 43.90

179.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.57

$1.18 CUP 28.41

-13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.62

$1.51 CUP 36.30

-35.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.54

$1.53 CUP 36.82

-35.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.42

$1.03 CUP 24.65

-4.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$0.98 CUP 23.46

210.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.35

$1.02 CUP 24.42

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$1.12 CUP 26.77

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 CUP 70.4

$2.98 CUP 71.6

-1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 CUP 237

$10.03 CUP 241

-1.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CUP 47.70

$3.05 CUP 73.1

-34.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CUP 48.34

$2.04 CUP 49.00

-1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 CUP 5.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.26 CUP 486

$30.34 CUP 728

-33.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.45

$1.75 CUP 41.99

-41.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 CUP 23.43

$0.37 CUP 8.77

164.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.31 CUP 488

$13.14 CUP 315

54.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 CUP 24.49

$1.17 CUP 27.98

-12.82%

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

$71.4K CUP 1.7M

$66.4K CUP 1.6M

7.57%

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

$79.2K CUP 1.9M

$45.9K CUP 1.1M

72.63%

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

$39.22 CUP 941

$54.1 CUP 1,299

-27.54%

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

$40.69 CUP 977

$9.97 CUP 239

308.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$217 CUP 5,199

$148 CUP 3,552

46.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 CUP 963

$39.39 CUP 945

1.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

$9.97 CUP 239

1.71%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$0.98 CUP 23.44

4.08%

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

$89.4 CUP 2,146

$100 CUP 2,404

-10.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

$11.8K CUP 283.0K

29.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 CUP 971

$65.8 CUP 1,579

-38.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 CUP 728

$35.05 CUP 841

-13.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 CUP 1,813

$85.2 CUP 2,046

-11.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 CUP 1,883

$109 CUP 2,616

-28.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 CUP 9,419

$867 CUP 20.8K

-54.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 CUP 10.2K

$793 CUP 19.0K

-46.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 CUP 24.8K

$760 CUP 18.2K

35.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 CUP 14.9K

$659 CUP 15.8K

-6.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$298 CUP 7,162

$325 CUP 7,807

-8.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 CUP 8,511

$323 CUP 7,758

9.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.91 CUP 478

$40.12 CUP 963

-50.37%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Palma Soriano: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Cayo Coco and $867 in Palma Soriano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma Soriano pays 102% 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 $236 vs $217, 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 29% 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 102% 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: $392 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 50% less than in Palma Soriano. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.4 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 $1,221 in Cayo Coco versus $1,573 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 29% less than in Palma Soriano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.