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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,520 in Mayari versus $875 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,446 in Mayari versus $1,419 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,371 in Mayari versus $1,964 in Havana.

Living in Mayari is roughly 74% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mayari is 11% above, Havana is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.90 CUP 142

$3.76 CUP 90.3

56.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.81 CUP 475

$27.33 CUP 656

-27.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 CUP 155

$4.86 CUP 117

33.13%

Cappuccino

$1.32 CUP 31.59

$1.14 CUP 27.31

15.79%

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

$2.26 CUP 54.3

$1.69 CUP 40.53

33.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 CUP 29.59

$0.98 CUP 23.54

25.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 CUP 59.5

$1.64 CUP 39.26

51.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 CUP 70.0

$2.01 CUP 48.26

45.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 CUP 69.8

$3.72 CUP 89.2

-21.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 CUP 19.75

$1.45 CUP 34.79

-43.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.56 CUP 61.4

$2.11 CUP 50.7

21.33%

Eggs

$3.21 CUP 77.0

$3.65 CUP 87.7

-12.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 CUP 139

$4.57 CUP 110

26.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 CUP 129

$4.66 CUP 112

15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 CUP 291

$8.24 CUP 198

47.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 CUP 121

$6.11 CUP 147

-17.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CUP 29.46

$1.10 CUP 26.44

11.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 CUP 33.13

$4.02 CUP 96.6

-65.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 CUP 34.42

$2.34 CUP 56.1

-38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 CUP 44.90

$3.85 CUP 92.4

-51.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 CUP 66.6

$3.96 CUP 95.1

-30.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.26

$0.76 CUP 18.26

32.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CUP 25.93

$1.46 CUP 35.11

-26.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 CUP 85.4

$2.02 CUP 48.44

76.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 CUP 238

$3.96 CUP 95.1

150.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 CUP 41.67

$1.60 CUP 38.49

8.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CUP 47.91

$2.12 CUP 51.0

-5.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 CUP 4.41

$1.29 CUP 30.87

-86.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 CUP 472

$22.54 CUP 541

-12.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 CUP 54.3

$2.61 CUP 62.7

-13.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 CUP 10.06

$0.43 CUP 10.29

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.31 CUP 488

$20.15 CUP 484

0.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 CUP 30.49

$1.31 CUP 31.34

-3.05%

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

$69.9K CUP 1.7M

$60.4K CUP 1.4M

15.83%

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

$81.4K CUP 2.0M

$59.3K CUP 1.4M

37.23%

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

$34.80 CUP 835

$47.55 CUP 1,141

-26.81%

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

$39.61 CUP 951

$38.24 CUP 918

3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$247 CUP 5,936

$91.2 CUP 2,188

171.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.63 CUP 975

$19.37 CUP 465

109.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 CUP 359

$13.03 CUP 313

14.89%

Cinema Ticket

$1.01 CUP 24.27

$0.89 CUP 21.28

13.48%

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

$118 CUP 2,840

$114 CUP 2,739

3.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K CUP 428.3K

$7,139 CUP 171.3K

149.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 CUP 1,325

$36.35 CUP 872

51.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.78 CUP 979

$36.29 CUP 871

12.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.67 CUP 1,096

$68.3 CUP 1,639

-33.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.75 CUP 1,194

$56.6 CUP 1,358

-12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 CUP 4,964

$254 CUP 6,088

-18.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$686 CUP 16.5K

$215 CUP 5,169

218.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 CUP 9,058

$934 CUP 22.4K

-59.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,776 CUP 42.6K

$544 CUP 13.1K

226.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$394 CUP 9,445

$336 CUP 8,074

16.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$344 CUP 8,259

$400 CUP 9,601

-13.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$21.61 CUP 519

$32.71 CUP 785

-33.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

9.89%

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

Last update for Mayari: September 13, 2026

Last update for Havana: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Mayari and $254 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Havana pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Mayari vs $27.00 in Havana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $262 per month, with Mayari cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mayari vs Havana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mayari and Havana differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,520 vs $875 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Havana. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in Mayari versus $254 in Havana. 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 $1,520 per month in Mayari versus $875 in Havana – a 74% 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 74% less than in Mayari. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.