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 $350 per month in Santa Clara vs $1,180 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

A couple spends around $470 per month in Santa Clara vs $1,676 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

A family of three spends $589 per month in Santa Clara vs $2,173 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

Santa Clara is about 70% cheaper than Cienfuegos, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Santa Clara and Cienfuegos are more affordable than the global median – Santa Clara 75% lower, Cienfuegos 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.19 CUP 245

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.89 CUP 741

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 CUP 149

Cappuccino

$2.33 CUP 55.8

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

$4.94 CUP 119

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 CUP 25.17

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 CUP 24.50

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 CUP 47.24

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 CUP 17.59

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 CUP 35.72

Eggs

$3.70 CUP 88.8

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.04 CUP 97.0

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 CUP 86.4

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.91 CUP 166

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 CUP 109

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 CUP 27.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 CUP 32.76

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 CUP 40.76

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 CUP 38.96

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.80

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 CUP 17.16

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 CUP 19.69

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 CUP 57.3

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 CUP 155

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 CUP 44.24

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 CUP 46.23

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 CUP 8.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.30 CUP 487

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 CUP 23.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 CUP 11.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 CUP 319

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

$49.8K CUP 1.2M

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

$62.5K CUP 1.5M

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

$35.20 CUP 845

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

$39.34 CUP 944

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$246 CUP 5,908

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 CUP 966

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 CUP 243

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.65

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

$111 CUP 2,675

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K CUP 244.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.18 CUP 844

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.08 CUP 650

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.2 CUP 1,372

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 CUP 1,248

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 CUP 8,526

$360 CUP 8,641

-1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 CUP 8,250

$364 CUP 8,733

-5.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 CUP 17.9K

$1,028 CUP 24.7K

-27.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 CUP 14.5K

$596 CUP 14.3K

1.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$285 CUP 6,844

$340 CUP 8,150

-16.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$294 CUP 7,061

$243 CUP 5,841

20.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$37.67 CUP 904

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cienfuegos: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Santa Clara versus $360 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: $350 in Santa Clara, $1,180 in Cienfuegos – roughly 237% apart. Cienfuegos costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $526 per month in Santa Clara and $1,769 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 $350, than in Cienfuegos at $1,180. 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.