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: $1,582 in Palma Soriano versus $1,205 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,882 in Palma Soriano versus $1,691 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,181 in Palma Soriano versus $2,177 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Palma Soriano is roughly 31% more expensive than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Palma Soriano is 15% above, Cayo Coco is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 CUP 117

$4.86 CUP 117

0.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.23 CUP 606

$14.97 CUP 359

68.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 CUP 121

$6.85 CUP 164

-26.57%

Cappuccino

$3.23 CUP 77.6

$1.02 CUP 24.51

216.67%

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

$1.29 CUP 30.88

$2.02 CUP 48.57

-36.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 CUP 21.16

$0.98 CUP 23.62

-10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 CUP 70.8

$1.96 CUP 47.01

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 CUP 57.1

$2.94 CUP 70.7

-19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 CUP 47.10

$2.91 CUP 69.9

-32.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 CUP 34.37

$1.02 CUP 24.42

40.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 CUP 24.68

$2.05 CUP 49.09

-49.76%

Eggs

$1.22 CUP 29.25

$3.69 CUP 88.6

-66.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 CUP 146

$5.83 CUP 140

4.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.08 CUP 146

$5.13 CUP 123

18.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.21 CUP 269

$10.15 CUP 243

10.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 CUP 44.67

$4.90 CUP 118

-62.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 CUP 29.11

$1.03 CUP 24.72

17.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 CUP 35.22

$1.03 CUP 24.61

42.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 CUP 36.70

$0.98 CUP 23.63

56.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$0.98 CUP 23.61

4.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 CUP 23.29

$3.03 CUP 72.8

-67.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.36

$0.98 CUP 23.59

3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 CUP 25.73

$0.98 CUP 23.57

9.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 CUP 73.1

$3.08 CUP 73.8

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 CUP 240

$9.84 CUP 236

1.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 CUP 71.2

$2.03 CUP 48.83

45.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CUP 46.92

$1.96 CUP 47.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 CUP 5.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.20 CUP 725

$20.29 CUP 487

48.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 CUP 43.85

$1.02 CUP 24.51

79.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 CUP 8.76

$1.01 CUP 24.27

-63.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.88 CUP 309

$20.34 CUP 488

-36.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 CUP 28.42

$0.98 CUP 23.46

20.41%

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

$65.7K CUP 1.6M

$69.4K CUP 1.7M

-5.34%

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

$46.7K CUP 1.1M

$78.7K CUP 1.9M

-40.59%

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

$55.2 CUP 1,325

$40.14 CUP 963

37.52%

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

$10.15 CUP 244

$39.72 CUP 953

-74.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$150 CUP 3,593

$219 CUP 5,268

-31.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.60 CUP 974

$39.25 CUP 942

3.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 CUP 243

$10.19 CUP 245

-0.69%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.50

$1.03 CUP 24.66

-4.85%

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

$100 CUP 2,407

$91.3 CUP 2,192

9.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K CUP 285.6K

$14.9K CUP 356.9K

-19.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 CUP 1,549

$40.44 CUP 970

59.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 CUP 831

$29.62 CUP 711

16.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 CUP 2,006

$73.5 CUP 1,765

13.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 CUP 2,652

$80.2 CUP 1,925

37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 CUP 20.8K

$407 CUP 9,762

113.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 CUP 19.0K

$420 CUP 10.1K

88.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 CUP 17.8K

$1,049 CUP 25.2K

-29.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 CUP 15.5K

$614 CUP 14.7K

5.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$322 CUP 7,737

$304 CUP 7,297

6.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$326 CUP 7,818

$345 CUP 8,286

-5.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$40.19 CUP 964

$20.09 CUP 482

100.05%

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: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $867 in Palma Soriano and $407 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palma Soriano pays 100% 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 $234, 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 31% 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 100% 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 $407 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 49% 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 $91.3 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,205 in Cayo Coco versus $1,582 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 31% less than in Palma Soriano. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.