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: $1,291 in Santa Lucia versus $1,462 in Bayamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Santa Lucia versus $2,050 in Bayamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,326 in Santa Lucia versus $2,639 in Bayamo.

Living in Santa Lucia costs roughly 12% less than in Bayamo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Lucia is 3% below, Bayamo is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 CUP 236

$3.27 CUP 78.5

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 CUP 723

$50.6 CUP 1,213

-40.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 CUP 173

$6.81 CUP 163

5.87%

Cappuccino

$3.35 CUP 80.5

$3.23 CUP 77.4

3.72%

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

$1.07 CUP 25.66

$1.27 CUP 30.46

-15.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CUP 20.88

$1.07 CUP 25.62

-18.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 CUP 47.55

$2.06 CUP 49.38

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 CUP 70.3

$1.71 CUP 40.99

71.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CUP 47.96

$2.91 CUP 69.9

-31.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 CUP 43.39

$1.01 CUP 24.26

79.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 36.84

$3.08 CUP 73.9

-50.00%

Eggs

$3.72 CUP 89.2

$3.55 CUP 85.2

4.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 CUP 153

$5.83 CUP 140

9.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 CUP 137

$5.95 CUP 143

-3.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 CUP 265

$12.12 CUP 291

-8.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 CUP 66.4

$5.02 CUP 120

-44.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CUP 36.24

$1.18 CUP 28.25

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.67

$1.48 CUP 35.40

37.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 CUP 54.6

$1.48 CUP 35.45

53.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 CUP 48.55

$1.95 CUP 46.86

3.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 CUP 41.30

$3.06 CUP 73.4

-43.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.49

$1.03 CUP 24.71

-0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.57

$1.07 CUP 25.79

-8.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 CUP 93.9

$4.10 CUP 98.4

-4.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 CUP 293

$9.87 CUP 237

23.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CUP 40.04

$2.02 CUP 48.38

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CUP 57.6

$2.01 CUP 48.29

19.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 CUP 4.97

$0.22 CUP 5.30

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.16 CUP 604

$34.56 CUP 829

-27.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CUP 76.6

$2.24 CUP 53.7

42.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 CUP 9.16

$0.39 CUP 9.32

-2.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.78 CUP 355

$20.03 CUP 481

-26.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CUP 24.68

$1.28 CUP 30.69

-19.53%

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

$70.3K CUP 1.7M

$75.6K CUP 1.8M

-6.93%

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

$80.2K CUP 1.9M

$91.0K CUP 2.2M

-11.84%

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

$35.02 CUP 840

$30.60 CUP 734

14.44%

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

$14.95 CUP 359

$9.95 CUP 239

50.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$252 CUP 6,042

$253 CUP 6,072

-0.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 CUP 968

$40.58 CUP 974

-0.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.30 CUP 367

$9.93 CUP 238

54.08%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.71

$1.03 CUP 24.69

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

$163 CUP 3,909

$95.7 CUP 2,297

70.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,070 CUP 97.7K

$14.9K CUP 356.6K

-72.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 CUP 1,703

$19.70 CUP 473

260.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 CUP 1,305

$24.89 CUP 597

118.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CUP 2,447

$70.9 CUP 1,702

43.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CUP 2,554

$56.1 CUP 1,345

89.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 CUP 13.1K

$432 CUP 10.4K

26.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 CUP 8,556

$659 CUP 15.8K

-45.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CUP 18.2K

$593 CUP 14.2K

27.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 CUP 11.9K

$971 CUP 23.3K

-49.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$335 CUP 8,031

$400 CUP 9,597

-16.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$368 CUP 8,821

$354 CUP 8,499

3.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.1 CUP 1,347

$19.66 CUP 472

185.45%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Bayamo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $546 in Santa Lucia and $432 in Bayamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 185% 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 $51.0 in Bayamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 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 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 185% higher in Santa Lucia, 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: $546 in Santa Lucia versus $432 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 $51.0 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,291 per month in Santa Lucia versus $1,462 in Bayamo – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,291 in Santa Lucia versus $1,462 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 13% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.