Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Cuba Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Cuba

Name: Cuba
Address: CU

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $960 in Cuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,133 in China versus $1,318 in Cuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,553 in China versus $1,676 in Cuba.

Living in China costs about 26% less than in Cuba on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Cuba 28% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Cuba: monthly costs span $22.00 to $1,597, compared to $521–$1,202 in China. City choice carries more weight in Cuba.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ¥18.35

$5.98 CUP 144

-54.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 ¥157

$24.73 CUP 594

-6.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ¥33.84

$6.89 CUP 165

-27.43%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.88

$1.68 CUP 40.37

83.33%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$1.99 CUP 47.79

-75.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$1.23 CUP 29.43

-76.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ¥6.75

$2.06 CUP 49.37

-51.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥14.24

$2.44 CUP 58.5

-13.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.82

$2.92 CUP 70.2

-40.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.27

$1.14 CUP 27.26

46.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.68

$2.04 CUP 48.88

-51.47%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.62

$3.03 CUP 72.7

-48.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.4

$5.76 CUP 138

126.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ¥22.42

$5.44 CUP 131

-39.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ¥73.2

$11.16 CUP 268

-3.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$4.52 CUP 109

-60.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.40

$1.19 CUP 28.45

4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.19

$1.54 CUP 37.07

-2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.13

$1.55 CUP 37.23

-22.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.17

$1.83 CUP 43.90

-58.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.21

$2.50 CUP 60.0

-63.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.93 CUP 22.23

-37.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.60

$1.05 CUP 25.23

-49.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.32

$3.41 CUP 81.9

1.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 ¥80.9

$10.15 CUP 244

17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.58

$1.98 CUP 47.43

-58.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.17

$2.10 CUP 50.3

-21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.17 CUP 4.16

152.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$22.22 CUP 533

-6.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.34

$2.18 CUP 52.2

-36.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$0.48 CUP 11.61

-31.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 ¥45.59

$19.74 CUP 474

-65.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.66

$1.21 CUP 28.96

-6.61%

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

$19.6K ¥132.8K

$70.6K CUP 1.7M

-72.20%

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

$16.8K ¥113.7K

$76.7K CUP 1.8M

-78.09%

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

$50.7 ¥343

$37.82 CUP 908

34.06%

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

$10.12 ¥68.5

$35.64 CUP 855

-71.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 ¥77.3

$222 CUP 5,321

-94.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.33 ¥273

$35.22 CUP 845

14.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 ¥98.6

$12.30 CUP 295

18.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 ¥43.34

$0.97 CUP 23.36

559.79%

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

$417 ¥2,822

$110 CUP 2,650

277.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ¥116.7K

$13.1K CUP 315.0K

31.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.55 ¥308

$38.55 CUP 925

18.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.26 ¥218

$31.27 CUP 750

3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥494

$70.4 CUP 1,690

3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 ¥498

$71.4 CUP 1,713

3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 ¥2,931

$341 CUP 8,175

27.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,768

$525 CUP 12.6K

-50.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 ¥6,126

$887 CUP 21.3K

2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ¥3,606

$637 CUP 15.3K

-16.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,965 ¥33.6K

$371 CUP 8,906

1237.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,518 ¥17.0K

$337 CUP 8,098

646.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 ¥7,194

$36.86 CUP 885

2783.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

8.96

-54.69%

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

Last update for China: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cuba: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $270 in Cuba. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $361 in Havana.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $36.00 in Cuba. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 6% higher in China.

Dining out costs 10% more in Cuba.

Public transport is 20% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 2294% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

China vs Cuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $862 per month in China and $810 in Cuba, there's a 6% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Cuba: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in China is consistently higher than in Cuba across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Cuba, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in China it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Cuba wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.