Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Cuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Cuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,796 in Italy versus $932 in Cuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,739 in Italy versus $1,316 in Cuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Italy versus $1,699 in Cuba.

Living in Italy is roughly 93% more expensive than in Cuba on average.

Italy (30% above) and Cuba (32% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.24 €18.31
$5.92 CUP 142
258.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.8 €69.7
$24.68 CUP 592
227.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.41 €9.84
$6.39 CUP 153
78.56%
Cappuccino
$2.08 €1.79
$1.78 CUP 42.63
16.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 €2.63
$1.81 CUP 43.44
68.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.19
$1.06 CUP 25.50
30.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.79 €4.99
$2.05 CUP 49.17
182.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 €4.96
$2.51 CUP 60.2
129.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.46
$2.78 CUP 66.7
-38.85%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.08
$1.27 CUP 30.52
89.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.01 €2.59
$2.01 CUP 48.12
49.75%
Eggs
$4.32 €3.72
$3.37 CUP 80.9
28.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.93 €15.45
$5.64 CUP 135
217.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.67 €10.92
$5.13 CUP 123
146.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.57 €17.73
$10.83 CUP 260
89.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 €2.26
$4.18 CUP 100
-37.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$1.12 CUP 26.99
91.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 €2.41
$1.80 CUP 43.18
55.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.32 €2.87
$1.84 CUP 44.12
80.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.81
$1.99 CUP 47.69
5.53%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 €1.63
$2.43 CUP 58.3
-22.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.96 CUP 22.98
61.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 €0.48
$0.96 CUP 23.08
-41.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16 €6.17
$3.16 CUP 75.8
126.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.35 €6.33
$10.07 CUP 242
-27.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$1.82 CUP 43.77
-1.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 €2.07
$2.12 CUP 50.8
13.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Cuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 €1.66
$0.21 CUP 4.98
819.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.24 €39.00
$19.85 CUP 476
127.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.74 €4.95
$2.19 CUP 52.5
162.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 €1.47
$0.43 CUP 10.27
295.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.25 €30.38
$19.92 CUP 478
76.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.76
$1.28 CUP 30.61
59.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K €32.3K
$69.9K CUP 1.7M
-46.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K €31.9K
$73.7K CUP 1.8M
-49.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$231 €199
$37.37 CUP 897
518.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.34 €10.64
$34.65 CUP 832
-64.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.17 €26.87
$224 CUP 5,378
-86.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 €47.62
$39.47 CUP 947
39.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.91 €21.47
$12.73 CUP 305
95.68%
Cinema Ticket
$11.13 €9.59
$1.01 CUP 24.35
1001.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €490
$107 CUP 2,568
430.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K €10.8K
$13.1K CUP 315.0K
-4.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.0 €80.1
$41.47 CUP 995
124.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.82 €34.32
$31.93 CUP 766
24.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €89.8
$71.1 CUP 1,707
46.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 €116
$68.5 CUP 1,644
97.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Cuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$852 €734
$333 CUP 7,993
155.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$645 €556
$479 CUP 11.5K
34.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,449 €1,249
$879 CUP 21.1K
64.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,084 €935
$618 CUP 14.8K
75.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,813 €3,287
$363 CUP 8,711
950.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,357 €2,032
$339 CUP 8,145
594.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,666
$35.13 CUP 843
5401.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.57
9.38
-61.94%

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

Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cuba: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $755 in Italy, $269 in Cuba. Capital cities: $1,247 in Rome vs $251 in Havana.

National salary averages: $1,964 in Italy, $36.00 in Cuba. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 181% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 245% more in Italy.

Public transport is 207% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 5356% 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
Italy vs Cuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Cuba compare to the cost in Italy?
At $802 per month in Cuba and $1,889 in Italy, there's a 136% 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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