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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $963 per month in Cuba vs $765 in Brazil, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,318 per month in Cuba vs $1,224 in Brazil, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,672 per month in Cuba vs $1,682 in Brazil, rent included.

The cost of living in Cuba is about 26% 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 28% lower, Brazil 43% lower.

The regional cost range is wider in Cuba ($23.00$1,622) than in Brazil ($569$1,054), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.98 CUP 143
$5.26 R$26.89
13.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.04 CUP 601
$29.40 R$150
-14.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.98 CUP 168
$6.32 R$32.30
10.44%
Cappuccino
$1.70 CUP 40.77
$1.71 R$8.75
-0.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 CUP 47.93
$1.08 R$5.54
85.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 CUP 29.73
$0.71 R$3.65
74.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 CUP 46.81
$1.76 R$8.99
10.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 CUP 59.1
$2.67 R$13.66
-7.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.91 CUP 69.8
$0.97 R$4.96
200.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 CUP 28.07
$1.48 R$7.55
-20.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 CUP 49.80
$1.22 R$6.26
69.67%
Eggs
$3.16 CUP 75.9
$2.10 R$10.72
50.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.99 CUP 144
$8.58 R$43.85
-30.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.48 CUP 132
$3.69 R$18.86
48.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.17 CUP 268
$7.53 R$38.47
48.34%
Apples (1kg)
$4.43 CUP 106
$2.10 R$10.76
110.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 CUP 28.80
$1.29 R$6.57
-6.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 CUP 36.17
$1.19 R$6.06
26.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 CUP 38.74
$1.42 R$7.25
13.38%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 CUP 42.64
$1.17 R$5.98
52.14%
Onion (1kg)
$2.53 CUP 60.8
$1.09 R$5.59
132.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 CUP 20.91
$0.70 R$3.60
24.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 CUP 24.53
$0.66 R$3.36
54.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.53 CUP 84.8
$2.20 R$11.26
60.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 CUP 243
$7.79 R$39.83
30.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 CUP 49.05
$1.19 R$6.07
71.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 CUP 49.11
$2.20 R$11.25
-6.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.19 CUP 4.47
$0.86 R$4.38
-77.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.40 CUP 538
$40.96 R$209
-45.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.09 CUP 50.1
$1.11 R$5.65
88.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.48 CUP 11.42
$0.88 R$4.48
-45.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.20 CUP 485
$7.15 R$36.53
182.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 CUP 30.42
$1.09 R$5.56
16.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$70.2K CUP 1.7M
$21.6K R$110.3K
225.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$75.6K CUP 1.8M
$28.0K R$143.3K
169.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$38.33 CUP 920
$68.7 R$351
-44.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.45 CUP 851
$13.97 R$71.4
153.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$226 CUP 5,424
$18.99 R$97.1
1089.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.52 CUP 852
$22.60 R$116
57.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.43 CUP 298
$22.90 R$117
-45.72%
Cinema Ticket
$1.02 CUP 24.46
$6.45 R$32.94
-84.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$109 CUP 2,608
$283 R$1,447
-61.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K CUP 315.5K
$7,455 R$38.1K
76.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.56 CUP 925
$48.29 R$247
-20.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.52 CUP 757
$43.14 R$220
-26.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.4 CUP 1,665
$74.9 R$383
-7.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.5 CUP 1,667
$62.1 R$318
11.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$350 CUP 8,396
$327 R$1,672
6.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$528 CUP 12.7K
$227 R$1,158
132.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$897 CUP 21.5K
$650 R$3,320
38.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$621 CUP 14.9K
$450 R$2,301
37.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$361 CUP 8,672
$1,866 R$9,538
-80.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$335 CUP 8,041
$1,259 R$6,433
-73.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuba
Brazil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$36.32 CUP 872
$527 R$2,693
-93.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.96
11.16
-19.71%

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

Last update for Cuba: July 13, 2026

Last update for Brazil: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $271 in Cuba vs $305 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $365 in Havana and $409 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $36.00 in Cuba vs $484 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 13% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 17% more in Brazil.

Public transport is 144% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 1244% 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?
Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 1% 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 Cuba, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Cuba consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Brazil or Cuba?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Brazil, contributing to the overall 1% 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 Brazil, but in Cuba 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?
Brazil 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