Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Santiago de Cuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Santiago de Cuba

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

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

$30.98 MX$525

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

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

$457 MX$7,738

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Santiago de Cuba: August 16, 2026

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

Mexico City vs Santiago de Cuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For families, Santiago de Cuba is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Santiago de Cuba wins on affordability, Mexico City on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.