Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuba and Italy Cost 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
$5.98 CUP 143
$17.58 €15.36
-65.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.04 CUP 601
$82.5 €72.0
-69.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.98 CUP 168
$11.72 €10.24
-40.44%
Cappuccino
$1.70 CUP 40.77
$1.92 €1.68
-11.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 CUP 47.93
$2.99 €2.61
-33.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 CUP 29.73
$1.36 €1.19
-8.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 CUP 46.81
$5.76 €5.03
-66.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 CUP 59.1
$5.22 €4.56
-52.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.91 CUP 69.8
$1.69 €1.48
72.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 CUP 28.07
$2.33 €2.04
-49.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 CUP 49.80
$3.05 €2.67
-32.13%
Eggs
$3.16 CUP 75.9
$3.99 €3.49
-20.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.99 CUP 144
$16.68 €14.57
-64.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.48 CUP 132
$12.57 €10.98
-56.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.17 CUP 268
$20.53 €17.94
-45.59%
Apples (1kg)
$4.43 CUP 106
$2.56 €2.23
73.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 CUP 28.80
$2.20 €1.93
-45.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 CUP 36.17
$2.68 €2.34
-43.66%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 CUP 38.74
$3.37 €2.95
-52.23%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 CUP 42.64
$2.04 €1.78
-12.75%
Onion (1kg)
$2.53 CUP 60.8
$1.88 €1.64
34.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 CUP 20.91
$1.47 €1.29
-40.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 CUP 24.53
$0.54 €0.47
88.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.53 CUP 84.8
$7.00 €6.11
-49.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.13 CUP 243
$7.09 €6.19
42.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.04 CUP 49.05
$1.80 €1.57
13.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 CUP 49.11
$2.51 €2.19
-18.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuba
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.19 CUP 4.47
$1.96 €1.71
-90.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.40 CUP 538
$41.58 €36.33
-46.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.09 CUP 50.1
$5.80 €5.07
-63.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.48 CUP 11.42
$1.60 €1.39
-70.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.20 CUP 485
$35.07 €30.64
-42.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 CUP 30.42
$2.13 €1.86
-40.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$70.2K CUP 1.7M
$32.6K €28.5K
115.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$75.6K CUP 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)
$38.33 CUP 920
$225 €197
-82.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.45 CUP 851
$13.14 €11.48
169.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$226 CUP 5,424
$31.19 €27.25
624.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.52 CUP 852
$57.2 €49.94
-37.86%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.43 CUP 298
$25.85 €22.58
-51.91%
Cinema Ticket
$1.02 CUP 24.46
$10.34 €9.03
-90.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$109 CUP 2,608
$564 €493
-80.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.1K CUP 315.5K
$10.3K €9,035
27.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$38.56 CUP 925
$91.9 €80.3
-58.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.52 CUP 757
$40.54 €35.42
-22.25%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.4 CUP 1,665
$98.2 €85.8
-29.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.5 CUP 1,667
$132 €115
-47.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuba
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$350 CUP 8,396
$855 €747
-59.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$528 CUP 12.7K
$663 €580
-20.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$897 CUP 21.5K
$1,522 €1,330
-41.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$621 CUP 14.9K
$1,089 €951
-42.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$361 CUP 8,672
$3,747 €3,274
-90.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$335 CUP 8,041
$2,299 €2,009
-85.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$36.32 CUP 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.

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