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: $962 in Cuba versus $1,717 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,314 in Cuba versus $2,624 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,665 in Cuba versus $3,530 in Italy.

Living in Cuba costs about 44% less than in Italy on average.

Cuba (28% below) and Italy (28% above) straddle the global median.

Cuba ($23.00$1,618) and Italy ($1,170$2,508) 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
$5.85 CUP 140
$17.44 €15.00
-66.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.02 CUP 600
$79.5 €68.4
-68.52%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.75 CUP 162
$11.76 €10.11
-42.60%
Cappuccino
$1.61 CUP 38.66
$2.00 €1.72
-19.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 CUP 45.81
$3.00 €2.58
-36.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 CUP 29.48
$1.35 €1.16
-8.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.04 CUP 48.91
$5.94 €5.11
-65.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 CUP 59.2
$5.36 €4.61
-53.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.90 CUP 69.6
$1.64 €1.41
76.83%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 CUP 27.14
$2.41 €2.07
-53.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.01 CUP 48.23
$2.99 €2.58
-32.78%
Eggs
$3.09 CUP 74.3
$3.96 €3.41
-21.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.97 CUP 143
$16.84 €14.49
-64.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.52 CUP 132
$12.43 €10.69
-55.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 CUP 266
$20.29 €17.46
-45.44%
Apples (1kg)
$4.52 CUP 109
$2.47 €2.13
83.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 CUP 28.59
$2.15 €1.85
-44.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.48 CUP 35.47
$2.65 €2.28
-44.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 CUP 37.40
$3.40 €2.92
-54.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 CUP 43.98
$1.92 €1.65
-4.69%
Onion (1kg)
$2.51 CUP 60.2
$1.81 €1.56
38.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 CUP 22.44
$1.55 €1.33
-40.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 CUP 24.22
$0.54 €0.46
87.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.44 CUP 82.5
$6.79 €5.84
-49.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.84 CUP 236
$7.18 €6.18
37.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 CUP 47.51
$1.80 €1.55
10.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 CUP 50.2
$2.42 €2.08
-13.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuba
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 CUP 5.04
$2.00 €1.72
-89.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.31 CUP 535
$42.35 €36.43
-47.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.15 CUP 51.7
$5.94 €5.11
-63.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 CUP 12.44
$1.51 €1.30
-65.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.21 CUP 485
$34.04 €29.28
-40.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 CUP 30.19
$2.05 €1.76
-38.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$71.3K CUP 1.7M
$32.8K €28.2K
117.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$75.9K CUP 1.8M
$33.7K €29.0K
125.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.50 CUP 900
$225 €194
-83.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.67 CUP 856
$13.25 €11.40
169.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$226 CUP 5,430
$30.95 €26.62
631.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.66 CUP 856
$55.7 €47.95
-36.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.46 CUP 299
$25.15 €21.63
-50.46%
Cinema Ticket
$1.03 CUP 24.62
$10.25 €8.82
-89.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$108 CUP 2,592
$576 €495
-81.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K CUP 320.4K
$10.5K €8,998
27.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.10 CUP 938
$91.8 €79.0
-57.42%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.17 CUP 748
$40.72 €35.03
-23.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$69.9 CUP 1,677
$98.0 €84.3
-28.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.9 CUP 1,702
$131 €112
-45.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuba
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$343 CUP 8,240
$860 €740
-60.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$520 CUP 12.5K
$667 €573
-22.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$920 CUP 22.1K
$1,475 €1,269
-37.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$622 CUP 14.9K
$1,087 €935
-42.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$364 CUP 8,726
$3,850 €3,312
-90.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$344 CUP 8,260
$2,359 €2,029
-85.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuba
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$36.51 CUP 876
$1,933 €1,663
-98.11%
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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Italy: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $272 in Cuba, $743 in Italy. Capital cities: $371 in Havana vs $1,325 in Rome.

National salary averages: $36.00 in Cuba, $1,949 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 173% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 222% more in Italy.

Public transport is 193% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 5314% higher in Italy, giving Italy stronger purchasing power.

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 Italy?
At $821 per month in Cuba and $1,839 in Italy, there's a 124% 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?
Cuba is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 Italy?
Rent in Italy beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.

Cuba vs other spots: cost of living compared

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