Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cayo Coco and Varadero

For one person, living costs are similar in Cayo Coco and in Varadero: $1,224 and $1,173 a month, rent and utilities included.

Cayo Coco, Cuba
Varadero, Cuba
Cayo Coco
🇨🇺 Cuba
$1,224
/mo nomad
Varadero
🇨🇺 Cuba
$1,173
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cayo Coco and in Varadero

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cayo Coco and in Varadero actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,224 in Cayo Coco versus $1,173 in Varadero.

  • Cayo Coco $1,224
  • Varadero $1,173

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,689 in Cayo Coco versus $1,546 in Varadero.

  • Cayo Coco $1,689
  • Varadero $1,546

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,155 in Cayo Coco versus $1,920 in Varadero.

  • Cayo Coco $2,155
  • Varadero $1,920

Living in Cayo Coco is roughly 4% more expensive than in Varadero, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cayo Coco 10% lower, Varadero 14% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.11 CUP 123
$3.59 CUP 86.2
42.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.92 CUP 358
$19.95 CUP 479
-25.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.90 CUP 166
$5.12 CUP 123
34.77%
Cappuccino
$0.97 CUP 23.34
$1.01 CUP 24.20
-3.96%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 CUP 49.24
$1.58 CUP 37.97
29.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 CUP 23.61
$0.99 CUP 23.81
-1.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.94 CUP 46.63
$1.22 CUP 29.24
59.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 CUP 74.0
$2.01 CUP 48.31
53.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.04 CUP 72.9
$2.71 CUP 65.0
12.18%
White Bread (500g)
$0.99 CUP 23.72
$1.48 CUP 35.41
-33.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.97 CUP 47.29
$1.50 CUP 35.98
31.33%
Eggs
$3.69 CUP 88.6
$2.16 CUP 51.9
70.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.86 CUP 141
$4.51 CUP 108
29.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.06 CUP 121
$4.41 CUP 106
14.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.80 CUP 235
$8.74 CUP 210
12.13%
Apples (1kg)
$5.07 CUP 122
$3.49 CUP 83.7
45.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.01 CUP 24.25
$1.05 CUP 25.28
-3.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 CUP 24.48
$1.58 CUP 37.96
-35.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.99 CUP 23.73
$1.61 CUP 38.52
-38.51%
Potato (1kg)
$0.98 CUP 23.58
$2.21 CUP 53.1
-55.66%
Onion (1kg)
$3.09 CUP 74.2
$2.77 CUP 66.4
11.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 CUP 24.30
$0.66 CUP 15.78
53.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 CUP 23.64
$0.52 CUP 12.57
90.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.95 CUP 70.8
$1.63 CUP 39.22
80.98%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 CUP 241
$5.28 CUP 127
89.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 CUP 46.99
$0.89 CUP 21.29
120.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 CUP 47.01
$2.15 CUP 51.7
-8.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.09 CUP 2.13
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.39 CUP 489
$15.73 CUP 378
29.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.97 CUP 23.33
$1.98 CUP 47.41
-51.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 CUP 24.48
$0.34 CUP 8.10
200.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.19 CUP 485
$19.68 CUP 472
2.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 CUP 23.42
$1.33 CUP 31.91
-26.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$71.3K CUP 1.7M
$70.4K CUP 1.7M
1.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$80.8K CUP 1.9M
$81.3K CUP 2.0M
-0.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.92 CUP 958
$39.23 CUP 941
1.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.23 CUP 966
$39.53 CUP 949
1.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$221 CUP 5,307
$91.0 CUP 2,184
143.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.44 CUP 971
$39.45 CUP 947
2.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.03 CUP 241
$15.04 CUP 361
-33.31%
Cinema Ticket
$0.99 CUP 23.71
$0.88 CUP 21.05
12.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$89.0 CUP 2,136
$89.4 CUP 2,144
-0.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K CUP 362.8K
$12.6K CUP 302.0K
20.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.38 CUP 969
$39.42 CUP 946
2.44%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.55 CUP 709
$30.09 CUP 722
-1.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$73.9 CUP 1,773
$75.7 CUP 1,818
-2.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.3 CUP 1,950
$68.0 CUP 1,631
19.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$404 CUP 9,699
$492 CUP 11.8K
-17.80%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$417 CUP 10.0K
$573 CUP 13.7K
-27.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,031 CUP 24.7K
$1,197 CUP 28.7K
-13.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$623 CUP 14.9K
$644 CUP 15.5K
-3.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$300 CUP 7,202
$396 CUP 9,494
-24.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$354 CUP 8,487
$347 CUP 8,323
1.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cayo Coco
Varadero
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$19.60 CUP 471
$19.53 CUP 469
0.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10
9.1
9.89%

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

Last update for Cayo Coco: October 26, 2026

Last update for Varadero: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cayo Coco
$417
Varadero
$573 37.3% $156
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cayo Coco
$301
Varadero
$170 43.7% $132
Groceries & Markets
Cayo Coco
$234
Varadero
$197 16.1% $38
Eating Out
Cayo Coco
$101
Varadero
$77 24.4% $25
Clothing & Footwear
Cayo Coco
$101
Varadero
$96 5.3% $5.3
Sport & Entertainment
Cayo Coco
$42
Varadero
$41 2.9% $1.2
Getting Around
Cayo Coco
$26 *
Varadero
$20 25.4% $6.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $404 in Cayo Coco and $492 in Varadero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $15 in Cayo Coco vs $20 in Varadero. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $197, with Varadero cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇨🇺 Cayo Coco
🇨🇺 Varadero
🕒 Local time
07:10 7:10 AM
07:10 7:10 AM
Same time as Cayo Coco
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
27,170
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CUP – Cuban Peso Converter

Cuban Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 24 CUP (100 CUP = 4.17 USD). 1 EUR = 26.71 CUP (100 CUP = 3.74 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cayo Coco Varadero 300 km
From you
  • Cayo Coco
  • Varadero

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Cayo Coco or Varadero?
Varadero wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Cayo Coco. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Varadero the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cayo Coco and in Varadero?
You’d need roughly $1,836 in Cayo Coco and $1,759 in Varadero to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Cayo Coco compared to Varadero?
Rent for a central apartment: $404 in Cayo Coco versus $492 in Varadero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Cayo Coco compared to Varadero?
A monthly transit pass in Varadero runs roughly 23% less than in Cayo Coco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Cayo Coco and in Varadero?
Childcare runs $89 in Cayo Coco versus $89 in Varadero. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cayo Coco or in Varadero?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Varadero is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Cayo Coco vs other spots: cost of living compared

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