Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Cuba Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Cuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $366 in India versus $932 in Cuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $581 in India versus $1,316 in Cuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $795 in India versus $1,699 in Cuba.

Living in India costs about 61% less than in Cuba on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 73% lower, Cuba 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Cuba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.15 ₹205
$5.92 CUP 142
-63.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.42 ₹996
$24.68 CUP 592
-57.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.59 ₹343
$6.39 CUP 153
-43.82%
Cappuccino
$1.67 ₹160
$1.78 CUP 42.63
-6.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ₹37.26
$1.81 CUP 43.44
-78.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 ₹15.92
$1.06 CUP 25.50
-83.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.87 ₹179
$2.05 CUP 49.17
-8.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ₹304
$2.51 CUP 60.2
26.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Cuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.64 ₹61.1
$2.78 CUP 66.7
-76.98%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 ₹42.66
$1.27 CUP 30.52
-64.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.63 ₹59.9
$2.01 CUP 48.12
-68.66%
Eggs
$0.87 ₹83.5
$3.37 CUP 80.9
-74.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.62 ₹442
$5.64 CUP 135
-18.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.86 ₹273
$5.13 CUP 123
-44.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$10.83 CUP 260
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.95 ₹186
$4.18 CUP 100
-53.35%
Banana (1kg)
$0.67 ₹64.3
$1.12 CUP 26.99
-40.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.99 ₹94.3
$1.80 CUP 43.18
-45.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.51 ₹48.45
$1.84 CUP 44.12
-72.28%
Potato (1kg)
$0.35 ₹33.23
$1.99 CUP 47.69
-82.41%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 ₹39.69
$2.43 CUP 58.3
-82.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.44 ₹41.87
$0.96 CUP 22.98
-54.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹29.80
$0.96 CUP 23.08
-67.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.14 ₹491
$3.16 CUP 75.8
62.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.58 ₹724
$10.07 CUP 242
-24.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67 ₹160
$1.82 CUP 43.77
-8.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ₹266
$2.12 CUP 50.8
31.60%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.36 ₹512
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Cuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 ₹23.64
$0.21 CUP 4.98
19.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.53 ₹815
$19.85 CUP 476
-57.03%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.94 ₹89.4
$2.19 CUP 52.5
-57.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ₹25.96
$0.43 CUP 10.27
-37.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.60 ₹153
$19.92 CUP 478
-91.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 ₹107
$1.28 CUP 30.61
-12.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.4K ₹1.2M
$69.9K CUP 1.7M
-82.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K ₹1.9M
$73.7K CUP 1.8M
-72.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Cuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.28 ₹3,562
$37.37 CUP 897
-0.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.49 ₹334
$34.65 CUP 832
-89.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.20 ₹688
$224 CUP 5,378
-96.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Cuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.69 ₹1,403
$39.47 CUP 947
-62.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.31 ₹698
$12.73 CUP 305
-42.58%
Cinema Ticket
$3.08 ₹294
$1.01 CUP 24.35
204.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Cuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$59.1 ₹5,646
$107 CUP 2,568
-44.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,693 ₹161.8K
$13.1K CUP 315.0K
-87.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Cuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.25 ₹2,221
$41.47 CUP 995
-43.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.03 ₹2,296
$31.93 CUP 766
-24.74%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$40.99 ₹3,917
$71.1 CUP 1,707
-42.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.46 ₹2,911
$68.5 CUP 1,644
-55.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Cuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$143 ₹13.7K
$333 CUP 7,993
-56.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$93.2 ₹8,902
$479 CUP 11.5K
-80.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$332 ₹31.7K
$879 CUP 21.1K
-62.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$214 ₹20.4K
$618 CUP 14.8K
-65.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,203 ₹115.0K
$363 CUP 8,711
231.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$643 ₹61.5K
$339 CUP 8,145
89.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Cuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$441 ₹42.1K
$35.13 CUP 843
1155.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.93
9.38
-4.80%

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

Last update for India: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cuba: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $121 in India, $269 in Cuba. Capital cities: $272 in Delhi vs $251 in Havana.

National salary averages: $410 in India, $36.00 in Cuba. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 122% higher in Cuba.

Dining out costs 120% more in Cuba.

Public transport is 100% more expensive in Cuba.

Salaries are 1039% higher in India, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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
India vs Cuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Cuba compare to the cost in India?
At $802 per month in Cuba and $519 in India, there's a 54% 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 simply cheaper in India: 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 India?
Rent in Cuba is consistently higher than in India 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 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.

India vs other spots: cost of living compared