Cost of Living Comparison Between Cienfuegos and Santa Clara Cost of Living Comparison Between Cienfuegos and Santa Clara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,167 per month in Cienfuegos vs $355 in Santa Clara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,640 per month in Cienfuegos vs $486 in Santa Clara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,113 per month in Cienfuegos vs $616 in Santa Clara, rent included.

Cienfuegos costs about 228% more than Santa Clara, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Cienfuegos and Santa Clara are more affordable than the global median – Cienfuegos 13% lower, Santa Clara 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 CUP 202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.33 CUP 608

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 CUP 153

Cappuccino

$1.91 CUP 45.75

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

$4.10 CUP 98.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 CUP 30.57

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CUP 38.74

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CUP 47.59

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 CUP 17.35

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 37.05

Eggs

$3.80 CUP 91.2

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.98 CUP 95.6

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 CUP 85.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 CUP 163

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 CUP 111

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CUP 27.66

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 CUP 33.94

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 CUP 40.05

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CUP 38.48

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CUP 46.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 CUP 17.38

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 CUP 18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 CUP 59.0

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 CUP 158

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CUP 44.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 CUP 46.49

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 CUP 8.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.25 CUP 486

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 CUP 23.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 CUP 12.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 CUP 323

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CUP 29.52

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

$50.1K CUP 1.2M

$126.0K CUP 3.0M

-60.20%

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

$62.7K CUP 1.5M

$152.0K CUP 3.6M

-58.74%

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

$35.38 CUP 849

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

$39.52 CUP 949

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$245 CUP 5,881

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 CUP 972

$7.15 CUP 172

466.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.17 CUP 244

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.55

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

$109 CUP 2,609

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K CUP 243.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.54 CUP 829

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.11 CUP 651

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.1 CUP 1,395

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 CUP 1,249

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 CUP 8,702

$353 CUP 8,466

2.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 CUP 8,803

$345 CUP 8,286

6.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,009 CUP 24.2K

$744 CUP 17.9K

35.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 CUP 14.7K

$606 CUP 14.5K

0.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$340 CUP 8,154

$284 CUP 6,806

19.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$245 CUP 5,887

$290 CUP 6,952

-15.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$38.09 CUP 914

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

9.62

-30.67%

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

Last update for Cienfuegos: May 30, 2026

Last update for Santa Clara: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $363 in Cienfuegos versus $353 in Santa Clara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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

Cienfuegos vs Santa Clara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,167 in Cienfuegos, $355 in Santa Clara – roughly 228% apart. Cienfuegos costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,750 per month in Cienfuegos and $533 in Santa Clara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Clara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Clara, where all-in costs run around $355, than in Cienfuegos at $1,167. In Santa Clara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cienfuegos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Clara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Clara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cienfuegos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.