Cost of Living Comparison Between Palma Soriano and Cayo Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Palma Soriano and Cayo Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,568 in Palma Soriano versus $1,231 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,880 in Palma Soriano versus $1,675 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,193 in Palma Soriano versus $2,119 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Palma Soriano is roughly 27% more expensive than Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Palma Soriano is 17% above, Cayo Coco is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 CUP 120

$5.08 CUP 122

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.43 CUP 610

$14.98 CUP 359

69.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 CUP 118

$7.07 CUP 170

-30.27%

Cappuccino

$3.15 CUP 75.5

$1.02 CUP 24.46

208.82%

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

$1.26 CUP 30.28

$2.04 CUP 48.85

-38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 CUP 22.04

$0.98 CUP 23.49

-6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 CUP 72.9

$2.04 CUP 49.02

49.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 CUP 58.1

$2.98 CUP 71.6

-18.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CUP 49.13

$3.09 CUP 74.1

-33.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 CUP 34.16

$0.98 CUP 23.42

44.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.41

$1.98 CUP 47.56

-48.48%

Eggs

$1.21 CUP 29.12

$3.63 CUP 87.2

-66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 CUP 148

$5.97 CUP 143

3.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 CUP 147

$5.14 CUP 123

19.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 CUP 260

$9.97 CUP 239

8.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 CUP 45.58

$4.90 CUP 118

-61.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CUP 29.37

$0.98 CUP 23.53

24.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 CUP 35.01

$1.02 CUP 24.46

43.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 CUP 34.97

$1.02 CUP 24.51

43.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 CUP 23.75

$0.97 CUP 23.30

2.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.53

$2.91 CUP 69.9

-66.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.41

$0.98 CUP 23.40

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CUP 26.96

$1.01 CUP 24.29

10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 CUP 73.4

$3.01 CUP 72.4

1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.89 CUP 237

$9.92 CUP 238

-0.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$1.97 CUP 47.30

51.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 CUP 48.99

$1.98 CUP 47.62

3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 CUP 6.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.80 CUP 715

$19.90 CUP 478

49.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 CUP 43.75

$1.02 CUP 24.42

78.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 CUP 8.69

$1.01 CUP 24.27

-64.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.72 CUP 305

$19.96 CUP 479

-36.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 CUP 26.84

$0.99 CUP 23.76

13.13%

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

$65.4K CUP 1.6M

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

-6.87%

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

$46.2K CUP 1.1M

$80.7K CUP 1.9M

-42.76%

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

$54.2 CUP 1,300

$40.10 CUP 962

35.04%

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

$10.05 CUP 241

$39.74 CUP 954

-74.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$146 CUP 3,499

$219 CUP 5,245

-33.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.49 CUP 972

$40.32 CUP 968

0.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.92 CUP 238

$10.14 CUP 243

-2.17%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.45

$1.02 CUP 24.46

-3.92%

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

$99.9 CUP 2,397

$89.5 CUP 2,147

11.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K CUP 292.5K

$14.7K CUP 353.1K

-17.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 CUP 1,536

$39.86 CUP 957

60.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 CUP 837

$29.57 CUP 710

17.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 CUP 2,079

$76.1 CUP 1,825

13.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CUP 2,674

$80.1 CUP 1,923

39.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 CUP 21.1K

$401 CUP 9,623

119.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 CUP 19.2K

$419 CUP 10.1K

90.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 CUP 17.8K

$1,050 CUP 25.2K

-29.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 CUP 15.7K

$631 CUP 15.1K

3.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$314 CUP 7,545

$305 CUP 7,331

2.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$330 CUP 7,920

$350 CUP 8,403

-5.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$39.79 CUP 955

$20.05 CUP 481

98.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

-16.70%

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

Last update for Palma Soriano: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Palma Soriano and $401 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma Soriano pays 98% 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: $25.00 in Palma Soriano vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $235, with Palma Soriano cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

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

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Palma Soriano vs Cayo Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Palma Soriano. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Palma Soriano pays 98% 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: $880 in Palma Soriano versus $401 in Cayo Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 50% less than in Palma Soriano. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $99.9 in Palma Soriano versus $89.5 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,231 in Cayo Coco versus $1,568 in Palma Soriano, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Palma Soriano. The gap between the two cities makes Cayo Coco 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 Cayo Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Palma Soriano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.