Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuba and Brazil Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuba and Brazil

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $932 per month in Cuba vs $846 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,316 per month in Cuba vs $1,346 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,699 per month in Cuba vs $1,845 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in Cuba is about 10% higher than in Brazil on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Cuba and Brazil are more affordable than the global median – Cuba 32% lower, Brazil 39% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92 CUP 142
$6.47 R$33.16
-8.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.68 CUP 592
$33.65 R$173
-26.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.39 CUP 153
$7.92 R$40.59
-19.32%
Cappuccino
$1.78 CUP 42.63
$2.07 R$10.61
-14.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 CUP 43.44
$1.26 R$6.48
43.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 CUP 25.50
$0.74 R$3.77
43.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.05 CUP 49.17
$1.92 R$9.86
6.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 CUP 60.2
$2.94 R$15.09
-14.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.78 CUP 66.7
$1.08 R$5.52
157.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.27 CUP 30.52
$1.74 R$8.92
-27.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.01 CUP 48.12
$1.30 R$6.69
54.62%
Eggs
$3.37 CUP 80.9
$2.23 R$11.42
51.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.64 CUP 135
$9.16 R$46.94
-38.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.13 CUP 123
$4.33 R$22.22
18.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.83 CUP 260
$8.46 R$43.35
28.01%
Apples (1kg)
$4.18 CUP 100
$2.22 R$11.37
88.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.12 CUP 26.99
$1.33 R$6.81
-15.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.80 CUP 43.18
$1.20 R$6.16
50.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.84 CUP 44.12
$1.52 R$7.78
21.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 CUP 47.69
$1.19 R$6.13
67.23%
Onion (1kg)
$2.43 CUP 58.3
$1.07 R$5.47
127.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.96 CUP 22.98
$0.84 R$4.30
14.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.96 CUP 23.08
$0.80 R$4.09
20.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.16 CUP 75.8
$2.39 R$12.27
32.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.07 CUP 242
$7.62 R$39.06
32.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 CUP 43.77
$1.36 R$6.98
33.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 CUP 50.8
$2.32 R$11.89
-8.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 CUP 4.98
$1.02 R$5.23
-79.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.85 CUP 476
$44.47 R$228
-55.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.19 CUP 52.5
$1.30 R$6.66
68.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 CUP 10.27
$0.94 R$4.83
-54.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$19.92 CUP 478
$8.03 R$41.15
148.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 CUP 30.61
$1.25 R$6.39
2.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$69.9K CUP 1.7M
$23.0K R$117.7K
204.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$73.7K CUP 1.8M
$31.6K R$161.8K
133.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.37 CUP 897
$81.0 R$415
-53.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.65 CUP 832
$12.79 R$65.6
170.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$224 CUP 5,378
$20.82 R$107
976.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.47 CUP 947
$25.51 R$131
54.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.73 CUP 305
$26.17 R$134
-51.36%
Cinema Ticket
$1.01 CUP 24.35
$6.99 R$35.81
-85.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$107 CUP 2,568
$337 R$1,725
-68.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K CUP 315.0K
$8,862 R$45.4K
48.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.47 CUP 995
$53.1 R$272
-21.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.93 CUP 766
$48.80 R$250
-34.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.1 CUP 1,707
$88.6 R$454
-19.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.5 CUP 1,644
$68.5 R$351
-0.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$333 CUP 7,993
$377 R$1,933
-11.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$479 CUP 11.5K
$244 R$1,250
96.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$879 CUP 21.1K
$724 R$3,713
21.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$618 CUP 14.8K
$477 R$2,445
29.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$363 CUP 8,711
$1,846 R$9,462
-80.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$339 CUP 8,145
$1,262 R$6,469
-73.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$35.13 CUP 843
$524 R$2,686
-93.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.38
11.19
-16.18%

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

Last update for Cuba: September 6, 2026

Last update for Brazil: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $269 in Cuba vs $341 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $251 in Havana and $479 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $36.00 in Cuba vs $487 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 27% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 36% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 179% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 1253% higher in Brazil, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Brazil.

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
Cuba vs Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Cuba compare in cost of living?
Cuba is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 25% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Brazil and Cuba?
Housing costs more in Brazil, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Brazil consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Cuba?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Cuba, contributing to the overall 25% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $2,000 go in Brazil compared to Cuba?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Cuba, but in Brazil it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and in Cuba?
Cuba is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Cuba vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries