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: $1,524 in Mayari versus $1,618 in Varadero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,914 in Mayari versus $1,999 in Varadero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,305 in Mayari versus $2,380 in Varadero.

Living in Mayari costs roughly 6% less than in Varadero, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mayari 14% above, Varadero 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 CUP 148

$5.88 CUP 141

4.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 CUP 479

$47.70 CUP 1,145

-58.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.32 CUP 152

$9.18 CUP 220

-31.15%

Cappuccino

$1.29 CUP 30.90

$1.03 CUP 24.66

25.24%

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

$2.16 CUP 51.8

$1.97 CUP 47.22

9.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 CUP 29.48

$0.93 CUP 22.24

32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 CUP 58.8

$3.80 CUP 91.2

-35.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 CUP 73.4

$2.66 CUP 63.8

15.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 CUP 69.4

$2.94 CUP 70.7

-1.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 CUP 20.08

$1.31 CUP 31.47

-35.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 CUP 60.3

$1.47 CUP 35.25

70.75%

Eggs

$3.09 CUP 74.1

$2.44 CUP 58.5

26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 CUP 143

$6.13 CUP 147

-2.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.35 CUP 128

$5.02 CUP 120

6.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 CUP 280

$12.14 CUP 291

-3.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 CUP 123

$4.92 CUP 118

4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 CUP 29.51

$0.58 CUP 13.85

112.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 CUP 32.79

$1.02 CUP 24.52

34.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 CUP 35.23

$1.14 CUP 27.42

28.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 CUP 45.98

$0.89 CUP 21.33

115.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 CUP 67.6

$5.67 CUP 136

-50.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 CUP 23.33

$0.35 CUP 8.49

177.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 CUP 26.00

$0.55 CUP 13.09

96.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 CUP 85.4

$3.79 CUP 91.1

-6.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 CUP 244

$5.72 CUP 137

77.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 CUP 42.51

$0.80 CUP 19.26

121.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 CUP 47.53

$0.72 CUP 17.27

175.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 CUP 4.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.93 CUP 478

$19.88 CUP 477

0.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 CUP 56.2

$2.01 CUP 48.34

16.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 CUP 9.35

$1.01 CUP 24.25

-61.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.99 CUP 480

$20.13 CUP 483

-0.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 CUP 29.15

$1.32 CUP 31.78

-8.33%

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

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

-0.04%

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

$81.1K CUP 1.9M

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

3.39%

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

$34.42 CUP 826

$39.63 CUP 951

-13.15%

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

$40.04 CUP 961

$39.25 CUP 942

2.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$247 CUP 5,924

$218 CUP 5,222

13.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.06 CUP 961

$40.30 CUP 967

-0.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.24 CUP 366

$14.98 CUP 359

1.74%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.58

$0.99 CUP 23.67

-1.01%

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

$118 CUP 2,834

$90.6 CUP 2,173

30.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K CUP 420.5K

$14.9K CUP 357.4K

17.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 CUP 1,313

$40.15 CUP 964

36.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 CUP 967

$29.72 CUP 713

35.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.34 CUP 1,064

$74.2 CUP 1,780

-40.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.1 CUP 1,202

$84.4 CUP 2,026

-40.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$212 CUP 5,093

$404 CUP 9,687

-47.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 CUP 16.0K

$797 CUP 19.1K

-16.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 CUP 9,019

$1,206 CUP 28.9K

-68.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 CUP 16.4K

$638 CUP 15.3K

7.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$397 CUP 9,524

$387 CUP 9,293

2.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$354 CUP 8,504

$352 CUP 8,437

0.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$21.32 CUP 512

$19.62 CUP 471

8.66%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Varadero: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $212 in Mayari and $404 in Varadero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mayari pays 9% 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 $48.00 in Varadero. Groceries flip the comparison at $247 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

Mayari wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Varadero. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mayari the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Mayari pays 9% more on average, 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: $212 in Mayari versus $404 in Varadero. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mayari – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $48.00 in Varadero. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,524 per month in Mayari versus $1,618 in Varadero – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,524 in Mayari versus $1,618 in Varadero, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mayari but tight or insufficient in Varadero. The gap between the two cities makes Mayari 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 Mayari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.