Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Padre and Cayo Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Padre and Cayo Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,292 in Puerto Padre versus $1,231 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,803 in Puerto Padre versus $1,675 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,314 in Puerto Padre versus $2,119 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Puerto Padre is roughly 5% more expensive than Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puerto Padre 4% lower, Cayo Coco 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 CUP 237

$5.08 CUP 122

94.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.84 CUP 692

$14.98 CUP 359

92.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 CUP 175

$7.07 CUP 170

2.97%

Cappuccino

$3.34 CUP 80.1

$1.02 CUP 24.46

227.45%

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

$1.53 CUP 36.64

$2.04 CUP 48.85

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.51

$0.98 CUP 23.49

4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 CUP 66.9

$2.04 CUP 49.02

36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 CUP 69.4

$2.98 CUP 71.6

-3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.93 CUP 70.3

$3.09 CUP 74.1

-5.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 CUP 48.09

$0.98 CUP 23.42

104.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 CUP 61.9

$1.98 CUP 47.56

30.30%

Eggs

$3.92 CUP 94.0

$3.63 CUP 87.2

7.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.66 CUP 160

$5.97 CUP 143

11.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 CUP 248

$5.14 CUP 123

100.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.99 CUP 480

$9.97 CUP 239

100.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.21 CUP 101

$4.90 CUP 118

-14.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 CUP 47.13

$0.98 CUP 23.53

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 CUP 63.0

$1.02 CUP 24.46

156.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 CUP 64.5

$1.02 CUP 24.51

163.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 CUP 55.8

$0.97 CUP 23.30

140.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 CUP 51.6

$2.91 CUP 69.9

-26.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 CUP 40.50

$0.98 CUP 23.40

72.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 CUP 30.54

$1.01 CUP 24.29

25.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 CUP 83.4

$3.01 CUP 72.4

15.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.14 CUP 531

$9.92 CUP 238

123.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 CUP 49.23

$1.97 CUP 47.30

4.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 CUP 91.4

$1.98 CUP 47.62

92.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 CUP 4.31

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.82 CUP 644

$19.90 CUP 478

34.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CUP 77.1

$1.02 CUP 24.42

214.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 CUP 18.69

$1.01 CUP 24.27

-22.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.88 CUP 477

$19.96 CUP 479

-0.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 CUP 30.84

$0.99 CUP 23.76

29.29%

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

$106.3K CUP 2.6M

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

51.34%

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

$89.6K CUP 2.1M

$80.7K CUP 1.9M

11.06%

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

$46.82 CUP 1,124

$40.10 CUP 962

16.76%

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

$17.76 CUP 426

$39.74 CUP 954

-55.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$270 CUP 6,473

$219 CUP 5,245

23.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 CUP 1,546

$40.32 CUP 968

59.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 CUP 414

$10.14 CUP 243

70.12%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.61

$1.02 CUP 24.46

0.98%

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

$198 CUP 4,763

$89.5 CUP 2,147

121.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K CUP 592.9K

$14.7K CUP 353.1K

67.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 CUP 1,257

$39.86 CUP 957

31.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 CUP 1,052

$29.57 CUP 710

48.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 CUP 2,170

$76.1 CUP 1,825

18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CUP 2,268

$80.1 CUP 1,923

17.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$90.7 CUP 2,176

$401 CUP 9,623

-77.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 CUP 5,312

$419 CUP 10.1K

-47.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 CUP 18.3K

$1,050 CUP 25.2K

-27.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 CUP 4,352

$631 CUP 15.1K

-71.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$388 CUP 9,319

$305 CUP 7,331

27.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$334 CUP 8,020

$350 CUP 8,403

-4.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.6 CUP 1,357

$20.05 CUP 481

182.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

-13.80%

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

Last update for Puerto Padre: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $90.7 in Puerto Padre and $401 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Padre pays 182% 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: $29.00 in Puerto Padre vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $235 per month, with Cayo Coco cheaper across the board.

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

Puerto Padre vs Cayo Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Puerto Padre. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Puerto Padre pays 182% 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: $90.7 in Puerto Padre 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 35% less than in Puerto Padre. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in Puerto Padre 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 $1,292 in Puerto Padre, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Puerto Padre. 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 5% less than in Puerto Padre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.