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: $1,496 in Mayari versus $1,622 in Varadero.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,897 in Mayari versus $2,010 in Varadero.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,298 in Mayari versus $2,399 in Varadero.

Living in Mayari costs roughly 8% less than in Varadero, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mayari 12% above, Varadero 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.07 CUP 146

$5.86 CUP 141

3.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.63 CUP 471

$48.14 CUP 1,155

-59.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 CUP 155

$8.81 CUP 211

-26.90%

Cappuccino

$1.33 CUP 31.96

$0.98 CUP 23.41

35.71%

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

$2.14 CUP 51.3

$1.99 CUP 47.68

7.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 CUP 29.19

$0.99 CUP 23.73

23.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 CUP 60.2

$3.68 CUP 88.3

-31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 CUP 70.1

$2.54 CUP 61.0

14.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.89 CUP 69.3

$2.99 CUP 71.7

-3.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 CUP 18.87

$1.24 CUP 29.83

-36.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 CUP 61.0

$1.50 CUP 36.03

69.33%

Eggs

$3.06 CUP 73.4

$2.41 CUP 57.8

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.89 CUP 141

$6.17 CUP 148

-4.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 CUP 129

$5.10 CUP 122

5.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.86 CUP 285

$11.93 CUP 286

-0.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 CUP 117

$4.98 CUP 120

-2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 CUP 28.16

$0.57 CUP 13.79

105.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 CUP 34.54

$0.98 CUP 23.46

46.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 CUP 35.72

$1.14 CUP 27.28

30.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 CUP 45.07

$0.92 CUP 22.05

104.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 CUP 69.8

$5.48 CUP 132

-46.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.53

$0.38 CUP 9.19

168.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 CUP 27.11

$0.57 CUP 13.75

98.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 CUP 85.0

$3.61 CUP 86.5

-1.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.89 CUP 237

$5.66 CUP 136

74.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 CUP 42.70

$0.87 CUP 20.92

104.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.29

$0.77 CUP 18.60

155.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 CUP 4.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.22 CUP 485

$19.93 CUP 478

1.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 CUP 55.6

$2.06 CUP 49.39

12.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 CUP 9.26

$0.97 CUP 23.39

-59.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.72 CUP 473

$20.18 CUP 484

-2.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CUP 29.65

$1.33 CUP 31.95

-6.77%

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

$70.0K CUP 1.7M

$68.7K CUP 1.6M

1.84%

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

$79.5K CUP 1.9M

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

1.36%

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

$35.37 CUP 849

$39.57 CUP 950

-10.61%

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

$40.17 CUP 964

$39.46 CUP 947

1.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$251 CUP 6,021

$219 CUP 5,245

14.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.34 CUP 968

$39.75 CUP 954

1.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 CUP 355

$15.08 CUP 362

-1.99%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.43

$0.99 CUP 23.68

3.03%

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

$117 CUP 2,815

$90.8 CUP 2,178

29.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K CUP 419.3K

$15.1K CUP 361.5K

15.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 CUP 1,327

$39.74 CUP 954

39.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.62 CUP 975

$30.60 CUP 734

32.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.47 CUP 1,091

$74.0 CUP 1,776

-38.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.8 CUP 1,220

$86.2 CUP 2,069

-41.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 CUP 5,034

$407 CUP 9,766

-48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 CUP 16.3K

$796 CUP 19.1K

-14.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 CUP 9,253

$1,200 CUP 28.8K

-67.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 CUP 16.7K

$640 CUP 15.3K

8.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$403 CUP 9,660

$389 CUP 9,342

3.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$349 CUP 8,368

$355 CUP 8,529

-1.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$21.74 CUP 522

$19.38 CUP 465

12.18%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Varadero: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Mayari and $407 in Varadero. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mayari pays 12% 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 $246 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 8% 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.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $210 in Mayari versus $407 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 $1,496 per month in Mayari versus $1,622 in Varadero – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,496 in Mayari versus $1,622 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 8% less than in Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.