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: $1,573 in Palma Soriano versus $1,221 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,875 in Palma Soriano versus $1,683 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,176 in Palma Soriano versus $2,145 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Palma Soriano is roughly 29% more expensive than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Palma Soriano is 18% above, Cayo Coco is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.96 CUP 119

$5.11 CUP 123

-2.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.89 CUP 597

$15.03 CUP 361

65.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 CUP 117

$6.84 CUP 164

-28.51%

Cappuccino

$3.15 CUP 75.6

$0.98 CUP 23.55

221.43%

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

$1.28 CUP 30.62

$2.06 CUP 49.33

-37.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 CUP 22.33

$0.99 CUP 23.70

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 CUP 71.4

$1.98 CUP 47.53

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 CUP 60.0

$2.98 CUP 71.6

-16.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CUP 47.25

$3.04 CUP 72.9

-35.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 CUP 34.11

$0.97 CUP 23.40

46.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.35

$2.03 CUP 48.68

-52.22%

Eggs

$1.23 CUP 29.42

$3.66 CUP 87.8

-66.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 CUP 143

$6.11 CUP 147

-2.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.12 CUP 147

$5.14 CUP 123

19.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.17 CUP 268

$10.05 CUP 241

11.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 CUP 43.90

$5.12 CUP 123

-64.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 CUP 28.41

$1.02 CUP 24.57

15.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 CUP 36.30

$0.98 CUP 23.62

54.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 CUP 36.82

$0.98 CUP 23.54

56.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 CUP 24.65

$0.98 CUP 23.42

5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.46

$3.04 CUP 72.9

-67.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.42

$1.01 CUP 24.35

0.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 CUP 26.77

$0.98 CUP 23.53

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 CUP 71.6

$2.93 CUP 70.4

1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 CUP 241

$9.87 CUP 237

1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 CUP 73.1

$1.99 CUP 47.70

53.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 CUP 49.00

$2.01 CUP 48.34

1.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 CUP 5.71

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 CUP 728

$20.26 CUP 486

49.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 CUP 41.99

$1.02 CUP 24.45

71.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 CUP 8.77

$0.98 CUP 23.43

-62.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 CUP 315

$20.31 CUP 488

-35.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 CUP 27.98

$1.02 CUP 24.49

14.71%

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

$66.4K CUP 1.6M

$71.4K CUP 1.7M

-7.04%

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

$45.9K CUP 1.1M

$79.2K CUP 1.9M

-42.07%

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

$54.1 CUP 1,299

$39.22 CUP 941

38.02%

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

$9.97 CUP 239

$40.69 CUP 977

-75.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$148 CUP 3,552

$217 CUP 5,199

-31.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.39 CUP 945

$40.13 CUP 963

-1.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.97 CUP 239

$10.14 CUP 243

-1.68%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.44

$1.02 CUP 24.51

-3.92%

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

$100 CUP 2,404

$89.4 CUP 2,146

12.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K CUP 283.0K

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

-22.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 CUP 1,579

$40.46 CUP 971

62.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.05 CUP 841

$30.31 CUP 728

15.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 CUP 2,046

$75.6 CUP 1,813

12.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 CUP 2,616

$78.5 CUP 1,883

38.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 CUP 20.8K

$392 CUP 9,419

120.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 CUP 19.0K

$425 CUP 10.2K

86.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 CUP 18.2K

$1,032 CUP 24.8K

-26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 CUP 15.8K

$620 CUP 14.9K

6.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$325 CUP 7,807

$298 CUP 7,162

9.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 CUP 7,758

$355 CUP 8,511

-8.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$40.12 CUP 963

$19.91 CUP 478

101.51%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $867 in Palma Soriano and $392 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma Soriano pays 102% 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 $217 vs $236, 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 29% 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.

Average pay runs 102% higher in Palma Soriano, 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: $867 in Palma Soriano versus $392 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 $100 in Palma Soriano versus $89.4 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,221 in Cayo Coco versus $1,573 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 29% less than in Palma Soriano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.