Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Santa Lucia Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Santa Lucia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,227 in Cayo Coco versus $1,301 in Santa Lucia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,697 in Cayo Coco versus $1,832 in Santa Lucia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Cayo Coco versus $2,363 in Santa Lucia.

Living in Cayo Coco costs roughly 6% less than in Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 8% lower, Santa Lucia 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.11 CUP 123

$9.84 CUP 236

-48.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.97 CUP 359

$29.72 CUP 713

-49.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 CUP 170

$7.12 CUP 171

-0.42%

Cappuccino

$0.98 CUP 23.52

$3.33 CUP 80.0

-70.57%

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

$1.98 CUP 47.48

$1.09 CUP 26.09

81.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CUP 24.62

$0.91 CUP 21.88

13.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 CUP 48.54

$1.96 CUP 46.97

3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 CUP 70.3

$3.08 CUP 74.0

-4.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 CUP 73.7

$1.98 CUP 47.61

55.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 CUP 23.63

$1.86 CUP 44.71

-47.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CUP 47.44

$1.46 CUP 34.92

35.62%

Eggs

$3.54 CUP 85.0

$3.55 CUP 85.3

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 CUP 147

$6.24 CUP 150

-1.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 CUP 122

$5.65 CUP 135

-9.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 CUP 244

$11.15 CUP 268

-8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 CUP 116

$2.72 CUP 65.2

78.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.47

$1.51 CUP 36.24

-35.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.30

$2.03 CUP 48.63

-52.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.57

$2.18 CUP 52.4

-55.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 CUP 23.69

$1.94 CUP 46.63

-48.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 CUP 73.8

$1.78 CUP 42.66

72.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.43

$0.98 CUP 23.54

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.44

$1.02 CUP 24.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 CUP 73.4

$4.11 CUP 98.6

-25.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 CUP 236

$11.89 CUP 285

-17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 CUP 46.58

$1.61 CUP 38.73

20.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.21

$2.33 CUP 55.9

-15.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 CUP 4.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.87 CUP 477

$25.31 CUP 607

-21.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 CUP 24.33

$3.23 CUP 77.6

-68.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.34

$0.41 CUP 9.85

146.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.33 CUP 488

$15.12 CUP 363

34.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 CUP 23.71

$1.03 CUP 24.77

-3.88%

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

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

$71.2K CUP 1.7M

-1.99%

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

$81.5K CUP 2.0M

$79.8K CUP 1.9M

2.24%

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

$39.66 CUP 952

$35.59 CUP 854

11.44%

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

$40.34 CUP 968

$15.02 CUP 361

168.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$222 CUP 5,340

$253 CUP 6,083

-12.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.72 CUP 977

$39.95 CUP 959

1.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 CUP 244

$14.73 CUP 354

-31.09%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.44

$0.99 CUP 23.69

-1.01%

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

$90.1 CUP 2,163

$165 CUP 3,963

-45.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CUP 354.7K

$4,000 CUP 96.0K

269.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.80 CUP 979

$70.6 CUP 1,695

-42.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.80 CUP 715

$54.7 CUP 1,312

-45.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 CUP 1,808

$100 CUP 2,410

-24.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 CUP 1,957

$104 CUP 2,496

-21.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 CUP 9,675

$542 CUP 13.0K

-25.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 CUP 10.1K

$348 CUP 8,350

21.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 CUP 25.5K

$754 CUP 18.1K

41.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 CUP 14.7K

$490 CUP 11.8K

24.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$300 CUP 7,197

$336 CUP 8,075

-10.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$354 CUP 8,503

$370 CUP 8,873

-4.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.96 CUP 479

$55.5 CUP 1,331

-64.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

102.43%

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

Last update for Cayo Coco: June 15, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Cayo Coco and $542 in Santa Lucia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 178% 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 $30.00 in Santa Lucia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $243 per month, with Cayo Coco cheaper across the board.

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 Santa Lucia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Santa Lucia. 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, Santa Lucia earns 178% 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: $403 in Cayo Coco versus $542 in Santa Lucia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 27% less than in Santa Lucia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $90.1 in Cayo Coco versus $165 in Santa Lucia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,227 in Cayo Coco versus $1,301 in Santa Lucia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Santa Lucia. 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 6% less than in Santa Lucia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.