Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Mayari Cost of Living Comparison Between Havana and Mayari

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $877 in Havana versus $1,505 in Mayari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,453 in Havana versus $2,415 in Mayari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Havana versus $3,326 in Mayari.

Living in Havana costs roughly 42% less than in Mayari, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Havana is 36% below, Mayari is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 CUP 91.4

$6.15 CUP 148

-38.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.24 CUP 654

$20.21 CUP 485

34.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 CUP 120

$6.66 CUP 160

-25.08%

Cappuccino

$1.08 CUP 26.03

$1.34 CUP 32.06

-19.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 CUP 40.26

$2.25 CUP 54.1

-25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 CUP 24.33

$1.24 CUP 29.70

-18.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 CUP 37.42

$2.52 CUP 60.4

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 CUP 47.65

$3.08 CUP 74.0

-35.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.79 CUP 90.9

$3.03 CUP 72.6

25.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CUP 36.47

$0.82 CUP 19.64

85.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 CUP 51.4

$2.48 CUP 59.6

-13.71%

Eggs

$3.62 CUP 86.9

$3.06 CUP 73.6

18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 CUP 105

$5.99 CUP 144

-27.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 CUP 110

$5.18 CUP 124

-11.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 CUP 209

$11.81 CUP 283

-26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 CUP 142

$4.88 CUP 117

21.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 CUP 26.17

$1.23 CUP 29.56

-11.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 CUP 92.3

$1.36 CUP 32.63

183.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 CUP 55.9

$1.44 CUP 34.46

61.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 CUP 89.0

$1.95 CUP 46.83

90.26%

Onion (1kg)

$4.07 CUP 97.6

$2.80 CUP 67.3

45.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 CUP 19.55

$1.03 CUP 24.72

-21.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 CUP 33.68

$1.12 CUP 26.78

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 CUP 46.68

$3.47 CUP 83.3

-44.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.09 CUP 98.2

$10.19 CUP 245

-59.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 CUP 36.68

$1.77 CUP 42.50

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 CUP 49.64

$1.93 CUP 46.37

7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 CUP 29.63

$0.19 CUP 4.46

547.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.69 CUP 545

$20.27 CUP 487

11.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 CUP 63.0

$2.22 CUP 53.2

18.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 CUP 10.47

$0.41 CUP 9.95

7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.37 CUP 489

$19.87 CUP 477

2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 CUP 29.97

$1.27 CUP 30.51

-1.57%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$61.1K CUP 1.5M

$71.1K CUP 1.7M

-14.03%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$61.0K CUP 1.5M

$81.2K CUP 1.9M

-24.90%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$47.74 CUP 1,146

$34.98 CUP 840

36.48%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$39.30 CUP 943

$39.50 CUP 948

-0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 CUP 2,179

$254 CUP 6,090

-64.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.09 CUP 458

$40.16 CUP 964

-52.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.13 CUP 315

$14.75 CUP 354

-10.98%

Cinema Ticket

$0.82 CUP 19.65

$0.98 CUP 23.46

-16.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$113 CUP 2,708

$116 CUP 2,773

-2.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,009 CUP 168.2K

$17.7K CUP 424.7K

-60.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 CUP 903

$54.5 CUP 1,309

-30.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 CUP 885

$39.35 CUP 945

-6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 CUP 1,678

$45.82 CUP 1,100

52.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.9 CUP 1,367

$49.69 CUP 1,193

14.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 CUP 6,148

$208 CUP 4,993

23.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 CUP 5,184

$680 CUP 16.3K

-68.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 CUP 22.8K

$378 CUP 9,063

151.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 CUP 12.9K

$1,794 CUP 43.1K

-70.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$334 CUP 8,012

$394 CUP 9,452

-15.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$399 CUP 9,564

$354 CUP 8,492

12.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$33.40 CUP 802

$21.83 CUP 524

53.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

-9.00%

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

Last update for Havana: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mayari: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $256 in Havana and $208 in Mayari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Havana pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Havana vs $20.00 in Mayari for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $246 per month, with Mayari cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Havana vs Mayari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Havana and Mayari differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($877 vs $1,505 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Havana, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $256 in Havana versus $208 in Mayari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $20.00 in Mayari. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $877 per month in Havana versus $1,505 in Mayari – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Havana gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Mayari. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.