Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Varadero Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Varadero

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,231 in Cayo Coco versus $1,618 in Varadero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,675 in Cayo Coco versus $1,999 in Varadero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,119 in Cayo Coco versus $2,380 in Varadero.

Living in Cayo Coco costs roughly 24% less than in Varadero, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayo Coco is 8% below, Varadero is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.08 CUP 122

$5.88 CUP 141

-13.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.98 CUP 359

$47.70 CUP 1,145

-68.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 CUP 170

$9.18 CUP 220

-22.98%

Cappuccino

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$1.03 CUP 24.66

-0.97%

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

$2.04 CUP 48.85

$1.97 CUP 47.22

3.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.49

$0.93 CUP 22.24

5.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 CUP 49.02

$3.80 CUP 91.2

-46.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$2.66 CUP 63.8

12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 CUP 74.1

$2.94 CUP 70.7

5.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 CUP 23.42

$1.31 CUP 31.47

-25.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 CUP 47.56

$1.47 CUP 35.25

34.69%

Eggs

$3.63 CUP 87.2

$2.44 CUP 58.5

48.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 CUP 143

$6.13 CUP 147

-2.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$5.02 CUP 120

2.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 CUP 239

$12.14 CUP 291

-17.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 CUP 118

$4.92 CUP 118

-0.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$0.58 CUP 13.85

68.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$1.02 CUP 24.52

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$1.14 CUP 27.42

-10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.30

$0.89 CUP 21.33

8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$5.67 CUP 136

-48.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.40

$0.35 CUP 8.49

180.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 CUP 24.29

$0.55 CUP 13.09

83.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 CUP 72.4

$3.79 CUP 91.1

-20.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 CUP 238

$5.72 CUP 137

73.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.30

$0.80 CUP 19.26

146.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CUP 47.62

$0.72 CUP 17.27

175.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.90 CUP 478

$19.88 CUP 477

0.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$2.01 CUP 48.34

-49.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.27

$1.01 CUP 24.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.96 CUP 479

$20.13 CUP 483

-0.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 CUP 23.76

$1.32 CUP 31.78

-25.00%

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

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

0.61%

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

$80.7K CUP 1.9M

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

2.86%

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

$40.10 CUP 962

$39.63 CUP 951

1.19%

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

$39.74 CUP 954

$39.25 CUP 942

1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,245

$218 CUP 5,222

0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 CUP 968

$40.30 CUP 967

0.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

$14.98 CUP 359

-32.31%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.46

$0.99 CUP 23.67

3.03%

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

$89.5 CUP 2,147

$90.6 CUP 2,173

-1.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K CUP 353.1K

$14.9K CUP 357.4K

-1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.86 CUP 957

$40.15 CUP 964

-0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.57 CUP 710

$29.72 CUP 713

-0.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 CUP 1,825

$74.2 CUP 1,780

2.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 CUP 1,923

$84.4 CUP 2,026

-5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$401 CUP 9,623

$404 CUP 9,687

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 CUP 10.1K

$797 CUP 19.1K

-47.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,050 CUP 25.2K

$1,206 CUP 28.9K

-12.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 CUP 15.1K

$638 CUP 15.3K

-1.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$305 CUP 7,331

$387 CUP 9,293

-21.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$350 CUP 8,403

$352 CUP 8,437

-0.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$20.05 CUP 481

$19.62 CUP 471

2.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-33.33%

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

Last update for Cayo Coco: May 30, 2026

Last update for Varadero: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $401 in Cayo Coco and $404 in Varadero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayo Coco pays 2% 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 $48.00 in Varadero. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $215, with Varadero 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 Varadero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Cayo Coco pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $401 in Cayo Coco versus $404 in Varadero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 0% less than in Varadero. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.5 in Cayo Coco versus $90.6 in Varadero. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,231 in Cayo Coco versus $1,618 in Varadero, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Varadero. 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 Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.