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: $1,221 in Cayo Coco versus $1,622 in Varadero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,683 in Cayo Coco versus $2,010 in Varadero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,145 in Cayo Coco versus $2,399 in Varadero.

Living in Cayo Coco costs roughly 25% less than in Varadero, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cayo Coco is 9% below, Varadero is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.11 CUP 123

$5.86 CUP 141

-12.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.03 CUP 361

$48.14 CUP 1,155

-68.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 CUP 164

$8.81 CUP 211

-22.36%

Cappuccino

$0.98 CUP 23.55

$0.98 CUP 23.41

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

$2.06 CUP 49.33

$1.99 CUP 47.68

3.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.70

$0.99 CUP 23.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 CUP 47.53

$3.68 CUP 88.3

-46.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$2.54 CUP 61.0

17.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$2.99 CUP 71.7

1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 CUP 23.40

$1.24 CUP 29.83

-21.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.68

$1.50 CUP 36.03

35.33%

Eggs

$3.66 CUP 87.8

$2.41 CUP 57.8

51.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 CUP 147

$6.17 CUP 148

-0.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$5.10 CUP 122

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 CUP 241

$11.93 CUP 286

-15.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.12 CUP 123

$4.98 CUP 120

2.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.57

$0.57 CUP 13.79

78.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.62

$0.98 CUP 23.46

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.54

$1.14 CUP 27.28

-14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.42

$0.92 CUP 22.05

6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$5.48 CUP 132

-44.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.35

$0.38 CUP 9.19

165.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$0.57 CUP 13.75

71.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 CUP 70.4

$3.61 CUP 86.5

-18.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.87 CUP 237

$5.66 CUP 136

74.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 CUP 47.70

$0.87 CUP 20.92

128.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 CUP 48.34

$0.77 CUP 18.60

161.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.26 CUP 486

$19.93 CUP 478

1.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 CUP 24.45

$2.06 CUP 49.39

-50.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 CUP 23.43

$0.97 CUP 23.39

1.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.31 CUP 488

$20.18 CUP 484

0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 CUP 24.49

$1.33 CUP 31.95

-23.31%

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

$71.4K CUP 1.7M

$68.7K CUP 1.6M

3.90%

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

$79.2K CUP 1.9M

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

1.03%

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

$39.22 CUP 941

$39.57 CUP 950

-0.88%

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

$40.69 CUP 977

$39.46 CUP 947

3.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$217 CUP 5,199

$219 CUP 5,245

-0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 CUP 963

$39.75 CUP 954

0.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

$15.08 CUP 362

-32.76%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$0.99 CUP 23.68

3.03%

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

$89.4 CUP 2,146

$90.8 CUP 2,178

-1.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

$15.1K CUP 361.5K

1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.46 CUP 971

$39.74 CUP 954

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 CUP 728

$30.60 CUP 734

-0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 CUP 1,813

$74.0 CUP 1,776

2.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 CUP 1,883

$86.2 CUP 2,069

-9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 CUP 9,419

$407 CUP 9,766

-3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 CUP 10.2K

$796 CUP 19.1K

-46.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 CUP 24.8K

$1,200 CUP 28.8K

-14.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 CUP 14.9K

$640 CUP 15.3K

-3.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$298 CUP 7,162

$389 CUP 9,342

-23.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 CUP 8,511

$355 CUP 8,529

-0.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.91 CUP 478

$19.38 CUP 465

2.73%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Varadero: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Cayo Coco and $407 in Varadero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayo Coco pays 3% 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 $236 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 33% 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.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Cayo Coco, 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: $392 in Cayo Coco versus $407 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 2% less than in Varadero. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $89.4 in Cayo Coco versus $90.8 in Varadero. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,221 in Cayo Coco versus $1,622 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 33% less than in Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.