Cost of Living Comparison Between Mayari and Varadero Cost of Living Comparison Between Mayari and Varadero

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,531 in Mayari versus $1,345 in Varadero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,417 in Mayari versus $1,764 in Varadero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,303 in Mayari versus $2,183 in Varadero.

Living in Mayari is roughly 14% more expensive than in Varadero, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mayari is 11% above, Varadero is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 CUP 148

$4.40 CUP 106

40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.82 CUP 476

$19.65 CUP 472

0.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 CUP 157

$6.90 CUP 166

-5.22%

Cappuccino

$1.28 CUP 30.69

$1.55 CUP 37.31

-17.42%

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

$2.24 CUP 53.7

$2.00 CUP 48.11

12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CUP 29.38

$0.91 CUP 21.96

34.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 CUP 58.3

$2.57 CUP 61.7

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 CUP 73.6

$3.49 CUP 83.7

-12.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 CUP 69.9

$2.95 CUP 70.7

-1.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 CUP 18.84

$1.51 CUP 36.15

-48.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 CUP 58.6

$1.45 CUP 34.77

68.28%

Eggs

$3.16 CUP 75.9

$2.15 CUP 51.5

46.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.78 CUP 139

$5.83 CUP 140

-0.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.40 CUP 130

$4.54 CUP 109

18.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 CUP 284

$11.67 CUP 280

1.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 CUP 117

$3.41 CUP 81.7

42.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CUP 29.42

$1.01 CUP 24.13

21.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 CUP 32.64

$1.57 CUP 37.64

-13.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 CUP 34.19

$1.60 CUP 38.43

-11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CUP 46.12

$2.14 CUP 51.5

-10.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 CUP 66.8

$3.89 CUP 93.4

-28.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 CUP 23.35

$0.71 CUP 17.10

36.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CUP 26.78

$0.57 CUP 13.80

96.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 CUP 83.7

$3.78 CUP 90.8

-7.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 CUP 236

$5.55 CUP 133

77.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 CUP 41.64

$0.89 CUP 21.37

94.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 CUP 47.94

$2.10 CUP 50.4

-4.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 CUP 4.13

$0.10 CUP 2.47

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.17 CUP 484

$15.38 CUP 369

31.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 CUP 55.5

$1.98 CUP 47.48

16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 CUP 9.35

$1.02 CUP 24.36

-61.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.04 CUP 481

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CUP 29.71

$1.33 CUP 31.93

-6.77%

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

$68.8K CUP 1.7M

$70.0K CUP 1.7M

-1.82%

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

$80.9K CUP 1.9M

$79.5K CUP 1.9M

1.78%

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

$35.59 CUP 854

$40.56 CUP 973

-12.25%

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

$39.23 CUP 942

$39.41 CUP 946

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$255 CUP 6,118

$220 CUP 5,269

16.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.31 CUP 943

$39.82 CUP 956

-1.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.20 CUP 365

$14.85 CUP 356

2.36%

Cinema Ticket

$1.01 CUP 24.29

$1.01 CUP 24.34

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

$119 CUP 2,862

$91.7 CUP 2,201

30.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K CUP 417.5K

$14.7K CUP 353.3K

18.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 CUP 1,333

$39.25 CUP 942

41.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.36 CUP 969

$30.25 CUP 726

33.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.06 CUP 1,081

$74.5 CUP 1,788

-39.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 CUP 1,218

$84.9 CUP 2,038

-40.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 CUP 5,053

$508 CUP 12.2K

-58.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 CUP 16.2K

$568 CUP 13.6K

18.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 CUP 9,099

$1,186 CUP 28.5K

-68.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 CUP 42.3K

$646 CUP 15.5K

173.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$402 CUP 9,638

$390 CUP 9,363

2.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$356 CUP 8,548

$356 CUP 8,555

-0.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$21.95 CUP 527

$19.05 CUP 457

15.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

-33.33%

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

Last update for Mayari: September 6, 2026

Last update for Varadero: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $211 in Mayari and $508 in Varadero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mayari pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $20.00 in Mayari vs $20.00 in Varadero. Groceries flip the comparison at $244 vs $215, with Varadero cheaper for home cooking.

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 Varadero: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varadero wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Mayari. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Varadero the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Mayari, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $211 in Mayari versus $508 in Varadero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Varadero – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $20.00 in Mayari. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,531 per month in Mayari versus $1,345 in Varadero – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,345 in Varadero versus $1,531 in Mayari, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Varadero but tight or insufficient in Mayari. The gap between the two cities makes Varadero the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Varadero gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Mayari. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.