Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Lucia and Bayamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Lucia and Bayamo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,276 in Santa Lucia versus $1,495 in Bayamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,800 in Santa Lucia versus $2,066 in Bayamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,324 in Santa Lucia versus $2,638 in Bayamo.

Living in Santa Lucia costs roughly 15% less than in Bayamo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Lucia is 5% below, Bayamo is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 CUP 236

$3.22 CUP 77.3

205.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.90 CUP 718

$50.1 CUP 1,202

-40.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 CUP 173

$6.76 CUP 162

6.51%

Cappuccino

$3.29 CUP 78.9

$3.18 CUP 76.3

3.46%

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

$1.08 CUP 26.02

$1.27 CUP 30.52

-14.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CUP 20.97

$1.11 CUP 26.66

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 CUP 47.35

$2.02 CUP 48.38

-2.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CUP 73.2

$1.79 CUP 42.91

70.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CUP 47.83

$2.93 CUP 70.3

-32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 CUP 43.38

$0.98 CUP 23.49

84.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 CUP 36.57

$2.94 CUP 70.5

-48.30%

Eggs

$3.56 CUP 85.5

$3.55 CUP 85.3

0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 CUP 149

$5.89 CUP 141

5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 CUP 137

$5.96 CUP 143

-4.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 CUP 259

$12.09 CUP 290

-10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 CUP 66.3

$5.12 CUP 123

-46.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CUP 36.46

$1.18 CUP 28.38

28.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 CUP 49.88

$1.54 CUP 36.86

35.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 CUP 55.5

$1.53 CUP 36.68

50.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.79

$1.98 CUP 47.51

2.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 CUP 41.15

$2.96 CUP 70.9

-42.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.25

$0.97 CUP 23.35

4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.69

$1.12 CUP 26.80

-11.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 CUP 95.0

$3.91 CUP 93.8

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 CUP 287

$9.94 CUP 239

20.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CUP 39.35

$1.95 CUP 46.77

-15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 CUP 57.4

$1.98 CUP 47.51

20.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 CUP 5.33

$0.23 CUP 5.51

-4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.27 CUP 606

$34.35 CUP 824

-26.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CUP 78.3

$2.25 CUP 54.0

44.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 CUP 9.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 CUP 365

$19.73 CUP 473

-22.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CUP 25.80

$1.22 CUP 29.23

-12.30%

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

$71.3K CUP 1.7M

$74.3K CUP 1.8M

-4.11%

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

$81.4K CUP 2.0M

$90.9K CUP 2.2M

-10.46%

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

$35.39 CUP 849

$30.16 CUP 724

17.34%

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

$14.82 CUP 356

$9.95 CUP 239

48.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$247 CUP 5,930

$249 CUP 5,977

-0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.37 CUP 945

$39.90 CUP 958

-1.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.01 CUP 360

$10.08 CUP 242

48.91%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.40

$1.02 CUP 24.57

-3.92%

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

$162 CUP 3,888

$93.2 CUP 2,236

73.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,930 CUP 94.3K

$15.1K CUP 361.7K

-73.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 CUP 1,690

$20.05 CUP 481

251.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 CUP 1,331

$25.32 CUP 608

119.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 CUP 2,358

$71.4 CUP 1,713

37.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CUP 2,554

$55.7 CUP 1,337

91.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 CUP 13.3K

$420 CUP 10.1K

31.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 CUP 8,341

$659 CUP 15.8K

-47.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 CUP 17.9K

$602 CUP 14.4K

24.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 CUP 12.0K

$962 CUP 23.1K

-48.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$344 CUP 8,264

$389 CUP 9,344

-11.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$369 CUP 8,859

$347 CUP 8,326

6.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.9 CUP 1,366

$20.22 CUP 485

181.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

-17.67%

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

Last update for Santa Lucia: April 28, 2026

Last update for Bayamo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Santa Lucia and $420 in Bayamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 182% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Santa Lucia vs $50.0 in Bayamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $258 per month, with Santa Lucia 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

Santa Lucia vs Bayamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Lucia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 17% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Santa Lucia 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: $554 in Santa Lucia versus $420 in Bayamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Lucia – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $50.0 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,276 per month in Santa Lucia versus $1,495 in Bayamo – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,276 in Santa Lucia versus $1,495 in Bayamo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santa Lucia but tight or insufficient in Bayamo. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Lucia 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 Santa Lucia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.