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

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

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

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

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

Italy ($1,170$2,508) and Cuba ($23.00$1,618) 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
$17.44 €15.00
$5.85 CUP 140
198.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.4
$25.02 CUP 600
217.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.11
$6.75 CUP 162
74.22%
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.72
$1.61 CUP 38.66
24.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.58
$1.91 CUP 45.81
57.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.16
$1.23 CUP 29.48
9.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.11
$2.04 CUP 48.91
191.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.61
$2.47 CUP 59.2
117.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.41
$2.90 CUP 69.6
-43.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.07
$1.13 CUP 27.14
113.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.58
$2.01 CUP 48.23
48.76%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.41
$3.09 CUP 74.3
28.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.49
$5.97 CUP 143
182.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.69
$5.52 CUP 132
125.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.46
$11.07 CUP 266
83.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$4.52 CUP 109
-45.35%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$1.19 CUP 28.59
80.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.28
$1.48 CUP 35.47
79.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.92
$1.56 CUP 37.40
117.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$1.83 CUP 43.98
4.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.56
$2.51 CUP 60.2
-27.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.93 CUP 22.44
66.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.46
$1.01 CUP 24.22
-46.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.84
$3.44 CUP 82.5
97.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.18
$9.84 CUP 236
-27.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$1.98 CUP 47.51
-9.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.08
$2.09 CUP 50.2
15.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Cuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.72
$0.21 CUP 5.04
852.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.43
$22.31 CUP 535
89.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.11
$2.15 CUP 51.7
176.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
$0.52 CUP 12.44
190.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.28
$20.21 CUP 485
68.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.76
$1.26 CUP 30.19
62.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.2K
$71.3K CUP 1.7M
-53.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.0K
$75.9K CUP 1.8M
-55.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €194
$37.50 CUP 900
501.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.40
$35.67 CUP 856
-62.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.62
$226 CUP 5,430
-86.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €47.95
$35.66 CUP 856
56.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.63
$12.46 CUP 299
101.85%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.82
$1.03 CUP 24.62
895.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €495
$108 CUP 2,592
433.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €8,998
$13.3K CUP 320.4K
-21.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.0
$39.10 CUP 938
134.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.03
$31.17 CUP 748
30.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €84.3
$69.9 CUP 1,677
40.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €112
$70.9 CUP 1,702
84.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Cuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €740
$343 CUP 8,240
150.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €573
$520 CUP 12.5K
28.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,269
$920 CUP 22.1K
60.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €935
$622 CUP 14.9K
74.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,312
$364 CUP 8,726
958.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,029
$344 CUP 8,260
585.26%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Cuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,663
$36.51 CUP 876
5195.59%
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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cuba: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $36.00 in Cuba. 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
Italy vs Cuba: 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.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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