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: $1,330 in Puerto Padre versus $1,221 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Puerto Padre versus $1,683 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,352 in Puerto Padre versus $2,145 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Puerto Padre is roughly 9% more expensive than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Puerto Padre is 0% above, Cayo Coco is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.07 CUP 242

$5.11 CUP 123

97.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.82 CUP 668

$15.03 CUP 361

85.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 CUP 173

$6.84 CUP 164

5.70%

Cappuccino

$3.35 CUP 80.4

$0.98 CUP 23.55

241.84%

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

$1.48 CUP 35.45

$2.06 CUP 49.33

-28.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.43

$0.99 CUP 23.70

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 CUP 65.6

$1.98 CUP 47.53

37.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 CUP 69.4

$2.98 CUP 71.6

-3.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.92 CUP 70.0

$3.04 CUP 72.9

-3.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 CUP 50.4

$0.97 CUP 23.40

116.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 CUP 62.9

$2.03 CUP 48.68

29.06%

Eggs

$4.04 CUP 97.0

$3.66 CUP 87.8

10.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 CUP 165

$6.11 CUP 147

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.14 CUP 243

$5.14 CUP 123

97.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 CUP 485

$10.05 CUP 241

101.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CUP 97.7

$5.12 CUP 123

-20.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 CUP 46.58

$1.02 CUP 24.57

90.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 CUP 62.0

$0.98 CUP 23.62

163.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 CUP 64.9

$0.98 CUP 23.54

175.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 CUP 53.9

$0.98 CUP 23.42

128.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 CUP 53.9

$3.04 CUP 72.9

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 CUP 41.32

$1.01 CUP 24.35

70.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 CUP 30.35

$0.98 CUP 23.53

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 CUP 82.8

$2.93 CUP 70.4

17.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.57 CUP 518

$9.87 CUP 237

118.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 CUP 47.18

$1.99 CUP 47.70

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 CUP 95.0

$2.01 CUP 48.34

97.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 CUP 4.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.43 CUP 658

$20.26 CUP 486

35.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 CUP 80.0

$1.02 CUP 24.45

226.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 CUP 18.53

$0.98 CUP 23.43

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.62 CUP 471

$20.31 CUP 488

-3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CUP 29.50

$1.02 CUP 24.49

20.59%

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

$103.4K CUP 2.5M

$71.4K CUP 1.7M

44.90%

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

$89.4K CUP 2.1M

$79.2K CUP 1.9M

12.81%

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

$45.60 CUP 1,094

$39.22 CUP 941

16.27%

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

$17.34 CUP 416

$40.69 CUP 977

-57.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$262 CUP 6,286

$217 CUP 5,199

20.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 CUP 1,539

$40.13 CUP 963

59.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.10 CUP 410

$10.14 CUP 243

68.64%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.45

$1.02 CUP 24.51

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

$196 CUP 4,712

$89.4 CUP 2,146

119.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K CUP 607.7K

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

66.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 CUP 1,275

$40.46 CUP 971

31.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.46 CUP 1,019

$30.31 CUP 728

40.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CUP 2,152

$75.6 CUP 1,813

18.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 CUP 2,256

$78.5 CUP 1,883

19.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$88.0 CUP 2,113

$392 CUP 9,419

-77.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 CUP 5,225

$425 CUP 10.2K

-48.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 CUP 18.3K

$1,032 CUP 24.8K

-26.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 CUP 4,261

$620 CUP 14.9K

-71.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$397 CUP 9,527

$298 CUP 7,162

33.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$339 CUP 8,137

$355 CUP 8,511

-4.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.9 CUP 1,366

$19.91 CUP 478

185.94%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $88.0 in Puerto Padre and $392 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Padre pays 186% 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: $28.00 in Puerto Padre vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $236 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 9% 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.

Average pay runs 186% higher in Puerto Padre, 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: $88.0 in Puerto Padre 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 35% less than in Puerto Padre. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $196 in Puerto Padre 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 $1,330 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 9% less than in Puerto Padre. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.