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: $1,718 in Italy versus $963 in Cuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,621 in Italy versus $1,318 in Cuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,524 in Italy versus $1,672 in Cuba.

Living in Italy is roughly 78% more expensive than in Cuba on average.

Italy (29% above) and Cuba (28% below) straddle the global median.

Italy ($1,176$2,467) and Cuba ($23.00$1,622) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58 €15.38
$5.98 CUP 143
193.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5 €72.1
$25.04 CUP 601
229.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.72 €10.25
$6.98 CUP 168
67.91%
Cappuccino
$1.92 €1.68
$1.70 CUP 40.77
12.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 €2.62
$2.00 CUP 47.93
49.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.19
$1.24 CUP 29.73
9.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.76 €5.04
$1.95 CUP 46.81
195.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22 €4.57
$2.46 CUP 59.1
112.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.69 €1.48
$2.91 CUP 69.8
-41.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.04
$1.17 CUP 28.07
99.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.05 €2.67
$2.07 CUP 49.80
47.34%
Eggs
$3.99 €3.49
$3.16 CUP 75.9
26.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.68 €14.59
$5.99 CUP 144
178.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.57 €11.00
$5.48 CUP 132
129.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.53 €17.96
$11.17 CUP 268
83.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.56 €2.24
$4.43 CUP 106
-42.21%
Banana (1kg)
$2.20 €1.93
$1.20 CUP 28.80
83.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.68 €2.34
$1.51 CUP 36.17
77.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.37 €2.95
$1.61 CUP 38.74
109.32%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.78
$1.78 CUP 42.64
14.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.88 €1.65
$2.53 CUP 60.8
-25.69%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.29
$0.87 CUP 20.91
68.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.47
$1.02 CUP 24.53
-47.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00 €6.12
$3.53 CUP 84.8
98.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 €6.20
$10.13 CUP 243
-30.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.58
$2.04 CUP 49.05
-11.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 €2.19
$2.05 CUP 49.11
22.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Cuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.96 €1.71
$0.19 CUP 4.47
931.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.58 €36.38
$22.40 CUP 538
85.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.80 €5.08
$2.09 CUP 50.1
177.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 €1.40
$0.48 CUP 11.42
233.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.07 €30.68
$20.20 CUP 485
73.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 €1.86
$1.27 CUP 30.42
67.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K €28.5K
$70.2K CUP 1.7M
-53.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K €29.6K
$75.6K CUP 1.8M
-55.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €197
$38.33 CUP 920
486.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14 €11.50
$35.45 CUP 851
-62.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19 €27.29
$226 CUP 5,424
-86.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.2 €50.0
$35.52 CUP 852
60.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85 €22.61
$12.43 CUP 298
107.96%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34 €9.05
$1.02 CUP 24.46
913.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$564 €493
$109 CUP 2,608
419.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,047
$13.1K CUP 315.5K
-21.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9 €80.4
$38.56 CUP 925
138.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54 €35.47
$31.52 CUP 757
28.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.2 €85.9
$69.4 CUP 1,665
41.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €116
$69.5 CUP 1,667
90.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Cuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$855 €748
$350 CUP 8,396
144.45%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$663 €580
$528 CUP 12.7K
25.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,522 €1,332
$897 CUP 21.5K
69.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €953
$621 CUP 14.9K
75.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,747 €3,278
$361 CUP 8,672
936.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,299 €2,011
$335 CUP 8,041
586.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,897 €1,659
$36.32 CUP 872
5121.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
8.96
-50.78%

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

Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cuba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $271 in Cuba. Capital cities: $1,328 in Rome vs $365 in Havana.

National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $36.00 in Cuba. 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
Italy vs Cuba: 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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