Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Clara and Cienfuegos Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Clara and Cienfuegos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $362 per month in Santa Clara vs $1,164 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

A couple spends around $486 per month in Santa Clara vs $1,662 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

A family of three spends $611 per month in Santa Clara vs $2,159 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

Santa Clara is about 69% cheaper than Cienfuegos, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Santa Clara and Cienfuegos are more affordable than the global median – Santa Clara 73% lower, Cienfuegos 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.70 CUP 209

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.22 CUP 605

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.27 CUP 151

Cappuccino

$1.98 CUP 47.43

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

$4.13 CUP 99.1

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 CUP 31.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 CUP 39.54

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 CUP 49.28

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 CUP 16.22

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 CUP 35.39

Eggs

$3.59 CUP 86.2

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.95 CUP 94.9

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 CUP 87.2

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.04 CUP 169

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 CUP 112

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 CUP 29.16

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 CUP 33.88

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 CUP 39.28

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 CUP 38.23

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 CUP 48.28

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 CUP 17.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 CUP 19.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 CUP 59.2

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 CUP 155

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CUP 46.32

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CUP 46.33

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 CUP 8.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 CUP 474

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 CUP 23.33

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 CUP 11.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 CUP 326

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 CUP 29.66

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

$125.9K CUP 3.0M

$50.0K CUP 1.2M

151.97%

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

$150.8K CUP 3.6M

$63.4K CUP 1.5M

137.91%

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

$34.30 CUP 823

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

$40.11 CUP 963

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$250 CUP 5,990

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$6.86 CUP 165

$39.42 CUP 946

-82.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.16 CUP 244

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.67

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

$109 CUP 2,613

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K CUP 244.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.22 CUP 845

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.29 CUP 655

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 CUP 1,407

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 CUP 1,256

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 CUP 8,549

$366 CUP 8,782

-2.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 CUP 8,501

$371 CUP 8,915

-4.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 CUP 17.8K

$1,006 CUP 24.1K

-26.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 CUP 14.4K

$605 CUP 14.5K

-0.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$278 CUP 6,670

$346 CUP 8,315

-19.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$286 CUP 6,875

$242 CUP 5,805

18.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$38.02 CUP 912

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.62

6.67

44.23%

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

Last update for Santa Clara: July 14, 2026

Last update for Cienfuegos: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $356 in Santa Clara versus $366 in Cienfuegos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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

Santa Clara vs Cienfuegos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $362 in Santa Clara, $1,164 in Cienfuegos – roughly 221% apart. Cienfuegos costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $543 per month in Santa Clara and $1,746 in Cienfuegos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Clara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Clara, where all-in costs run around $362, than in Cienfuegos at $1,164. In Santa Clara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cienfuegos it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Clara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Clara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cienfuegos makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.