For one person, living is cheaper in India: $391 a month against $1,287 in Cuba, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cuba and in India actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Cuba versus $391 in India.
Cuba $1,287
India $391
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,741 in Cuba versus $620 in India.
Cuba $1,741
India $620
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,195 in Cuba versus $849 in India.
Cuba $2,195
India $849
🌍
Living in Cuba is roughly 229% more expensive than in India on average.
📊
Both countries sit below the global median: Cuba 5% lower, India 71% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cuba
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.86CUP 141
$2.14₹203
173.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$24.98CUP 600
$10.52₹999
137.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.32CUP 152
$3.58₹340
76.54%
Cappuccino
$1.64CUP 39.48
$1.67₹158
-1.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83CUP 44.04
$0.37₹35.48
394.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11CUP 26.59
$0.15₹14.18
640.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.05CUP 49.25
$1.84₹175
11.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51CUP 60.2
$3.07₹292
-18.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuba
India
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.66CUP 63.8
$0.62₹58.8
329.03%
White Bread(500g)
$1.19CUP 28.58
$0.49₹46.72
142.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.94CUP 46.59
$0.63₹60.1
207.94%
Eggs
$3.31CUP 79.5
$0.96₹90.7
244.79%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.02CUP 144
$4.71₹447
27.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.10CUP 122
$2.92₹277
74.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.42CUP 274
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$4.29CUP 103
$1.98₹188
116.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.14CUP 27.26
$0.68₹64.3
67.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.81CUP 43.46
$1.02₹97.2
77.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.92CUP 46.12
$0.46₹43.78
317.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90CUP 45.59
$0.34₹32.20
458.82%
Onion(1kg)
$2.55CUP 61.3
$0.41₹38.99
521.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.88CUP 21.14
$0.43₹40.66
104.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93CUP 22.37
$0.31₹29.73
200.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.31CUP 79.4
$4.89₹464
-32.31%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.87CUP 237
$7.25₹688
36.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81CUP 43.34
$1.71₹162
5.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14CUP 51.4
$2.74₹260
-21.90%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$5.25₹499
-
🚌 Getting Around
Cuba
India
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.18CUP 4.39
$0.27₹25.86
-33.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.96CUP 479
$8.39₹797
137.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.32CUP 55.8
$1.03₹97.8
125.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.39CUP 9.27
$0.25₹23.49
56.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.36CUP 489
$1.60₹152
1172.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29CUP 30.98
$1.13₹107
14.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$69.2KCUP 1.7M
$12.6K₹1.2M
447.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$74.0KCUP 1.8M
$20.1K₹1.9M
268.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuba
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$36.99CUP 888
$37.55₹3,566
-1.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.75CUP 834
$3.47₹330
901.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$230CUP 5,528
$7.15₹679
3121.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuba
India
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.95CUP 935
$14.58₹1,385
167.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.06CUP 313
$7.21₹684
81.14%
Cinema Ticket
$0.98CUP 23.55
$3.18₹302
-69.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuba
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$115CUP 2,760
$56.8₹5,390
102.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.4KCUP 322.5K
$1,651₹156.7K
714.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuba
India
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.29CUP 1,039
$22.55₹2,141
91.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.67CUP 832
$24.54₹2,330
41.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$71.7CUP 1,720
$39.69₹3,768
80.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.7CUP 1,744
$29.84₹2,833
143.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuba
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$336CUP 8,063
$141₹13.4K
138.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465CUP 11.2K
$89.7₹8,514
419.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$891CUP 21.4K
$325₹30.9K
174.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$582CUP 14.0K
$207₹19.7K
180.84%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$359CUP 8,605
$1,214₹115.3K
-70.48%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$334CUP 8,026
$638₹60.6K
-47.59%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuba
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$35.65CUP 856
$434₹41.2K
-91.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.38
8.92
5.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cuba: October 11, 2026
Last update for India: October 10, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cuba
$465 36.2%
India
$90 23% ↓ 80.7%$376
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuba
$302 23.5%
India
$48 12.3% ↓ 84.1%$254
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cuba
$241 18.7%
India
$102 26.2% ↓ 57.5%$139
🍽Eating Out
Cuba
$113 8.8%
India
$65 16.7% ↓ 42%$47
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cuba
$100 7.8%
India
$52 13.4% ↓ 47.5%$48
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cuba
$41 3.2%
India
$21 5.4% ↓ 48.8%$20
🚌Getting Around
Cuba
$25 1.9%
India
$12 3% ↓ 52.9%$13
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cuba
$582 26.5%
India
$207 24.4% ↓ 64.4%$375
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuba
$337 15.4%
India
$52 6.1% ↓ 84.7%$285
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cuba
$563 25.6%
India
$221 26% ↓ 60.8%$342
🍽Eating Out
Cuba
$346 15.8%
India
$179 21.1% ↓ 48.2%$166
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cuba
$222 10.1%
India
$117 13.7% ↓ 47.5%$106
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cuba
$95 4.3%
India
$49 5.8% ↓ 48.2%$46
🚌Getting Around
Cuba
$50 2.3%
India
$24 2.8% ↓ 52.2%$26
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $270 in Cuba, $119 in India. Capital cities: $246 in Havana vs $267 in Delhi.
💰National salary averages: $37.00 in Cuba, $411 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 127% higher in Cuba.
⭐Dining out costs 130% more in Cuba.
⭐Public transport is 114% more expensive in Cuba.
⭐Salaries are 1011% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Cuba compare to the cost in India?
At $1,287 per month in Cuba and $391 in India, there's a 229% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Cuba vs India?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Cuba or in India?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $270 in Cuba and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Can you live in both Cuba and India on $1,000 per month?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Cuba it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Cuba or India?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Cuba may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.