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 $355 per month in Santa Clara vs $1,167 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

A couple spends around $486 per month in Santa Clara vs $1,640 in Cienfuegos, rent included.

A family of three spends $616 per month in Santa Clara vs $2,113 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 73% lower, Cienfuegos 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 CUP 202

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.33 CUP 608

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.36 CUP 153

Cappuccino

$1.91 CUP 45.75

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

$4.10 CUP 98.4

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 CUP 30.57

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 CUP 38.74

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CUP 47.59

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 CUP 17.35

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 37.05

Eggs

$3.80 CUP 91.2

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.98 CUP 95.6

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 CUP 85.0

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.79 CUP 163

Apples (1kg)

$4.63 CUP 111

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 CUP 27.66

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 CUP 33.94

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 CUP 40.05

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 CUP 38.48

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 CUP 46.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 CUP 17.38

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 CUP 18.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 CUP 59.0

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 CUP 158

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 CUP 44.42

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 CUP 46.49

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 CUP 8.66

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.25 CUP 486

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 CUP 23.43

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 CUP 12.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 CUP 323

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 CUP 29.52

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

$126.0K CUP 3.0M

$50.1K CUP 1.2M

151.28%

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

$152.0K CUP 3.6M

$62.7K CUP 1.5M

142.39%

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

$35.38 CUP 849

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

$39.52 CUP 949

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$245 CUP 5,881

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.15 CUP 172

$40.50 CUP 972

-82.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.17 CUP 244

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.55

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

$109 CUP 2,609

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K CUP 243.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.54 CUP 829

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.11 CUP 651

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.1 CUP 1,395

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.0 CUP 1,249

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 CUP 8,466

$363 CUP 8,702

-2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 CUP 8,286

$367 CUP 8,803

-5.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 CUP 17.9K

$1,009 CUP 24.2K

-26.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 CUP 14.5K

$612 CUP 14.7K

-0.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$284 CUP 6,806

$340 CUP 8,154

-16.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$290 CUP 6,952

$245 CUP 5,887

18.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$38.09 CUP 914

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cienfuegos: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Santa Clara versus $363 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: $355 in Santa Clara, $1,167 in Cienfuegos – roughly 228% apart. Cienfuegos costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $533 per month in Santa Clara and $1,750 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 $355, than in Cienfuegos at $1,167. 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.