Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuba and ItalyCost of Living Comparison Between Cuba and Italy
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $963 in Cuba versus $1,718 in Italy.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,318 in Cuba versus $2,621 in Italy.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,672 in Cuba versus $3,524 in Italy.
🌍Living in Cuba costs about 44% less than in Italy on average.
📊Cuba (28% below) and Italy (29% above) straddle the global median.
📏Cuba ($23.00–$1,622) and Italy ($1,176–$2,467) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.98CUP 143
$17.58€15.36
-65.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.04CUP 601
$82.5€72.0
-69.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.98CUP 168
$11.72€10.24
-40.44%
Cappuccino
$1.70CUP 40.77
$1.92€1.68
-11.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00CUP 47.93
$2.99€2.61
-33.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24CUP 29.73
$1.36€1.19
-8.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.95CUP 46.81
$5.76€5.03
-66.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46CUP 59.1
$5.22€4.56
-52.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.91CUP 69.8
$1.69€1.48
72.19%
White Bread(500g)
$1.17CUP 28.07
$2.33€2.04
-49.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07CUP 49.80
$3.05€2.67
-32.13%
Eggs
$3.16CUP 75.9
$3.99€3.49
-20.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.99CUP 144
$16.68€14.57
-64.09%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.48CUP 132
$12.57€10.98
-56.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.17CUP 268
$20.53€17.94
-45.59%
Apples(1kg)
$4.43CUP 106
$2.56€2.23
73.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.20CUP 28.80
$2.20€1.93
-45.45%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.51CUP 36.17
$2.68€2.34
-43.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.61CUP 38.74
$3.37€2.95
-52.23%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78CUP 42.64
$2.04€1.78
-12.75%
Onion(1kg)
$2.53CUP 60.8
$1.88€1.64
34.57%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.87CUP 20.91
$1.47€1.29
-40.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02CUP 24.53
$0.54€0.47
88.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.53CUP 84.8
$7.00€6.11
-49.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.13CUP 243
$7.09€6.19
42.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04CUP 49.05
$1.80€1.57
13.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05CUP 49.11
$2.51€2.19
-18.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuba
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.19CUP 4.47
$1.96€1.71
-90.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.40CUP 538
$41.58€36.33
-46.13%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.09CUP 50.1
$5.80€5.07
-63.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.48CUP 11.42
$1.60€1.39
-70.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.20CUP 485
$35.07€30.64
-42.40%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27CUP 30.42
$2.13€1.86
-40.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$70.2KCUP 1.7M
$32.6K€28.5K
115.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$75.6KCUP 1.8M
$33.8K€29.5K
123.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$38.33CUP 920
$225€197
-82.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.45CUP 851
$13.14€11.48
169.79%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$226CUP 5,424
$31.19€27.25
624.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.52CUP 852
$57.2€49.94
-37.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.43CUP 298
$25.85€22.58
-51.91%
Cinema Ticket
$1.02CUP 24.46
$10.34€9.03
-90.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$109CUP 2,608
$564€493
-80.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.1KCUP 315.5K
$10.3K€9,035
27.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.56CUP 925
$91.9€80.3
-58.05%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.52CUP 757
$40.54€35.42
-22.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$69.4CUP 1,665
$98.2€85.8
-29.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.5CUP 1,667
$132€115
-47.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuba
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$350CUP 8,396
$855€747
-59.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$528CUP 12.7K
$663€580
-20.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$897CUP 21.5K
$1,522€1,330
-41.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$621CUP 14.9K
$1,089€951
-42.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$361CUP 8,672
$3,747€3,274
-90.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$335CUP 8,041
$2,299€2,009
-85.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$36.32CUP 872
$1,897€1,657
-98.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.96
4.41
103.17%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cuba: July 13, 2026
Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $271 in Cuba, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $365 in Havana vs $1,328 in Rome.
💰National salary averages: $36.00 in Cuba, $1,912 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 174% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 222% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 175% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 5211% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.
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 Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Cuba compare to the cost in Italy?
At $823 per month in Cuba and $1,822 in Italy, there's a 121% 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 Italy?
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.
Is rent more expensive in Cuba or in Italy?
Rent in Italy 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.
Can you live in both Cuba and Italy on $2,000 per month?
In Cuba, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy 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 Italy?
It depends on what you're after: Cuba wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.