Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Lucia and Cayo Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Lucia and Cayo Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,276 in Santa Lucia versus $1,253 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,800 in Santa Lucia versus $1,705 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,324 in Santa Lucia versus $2,156 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Santa Lucia is roughly 2% more expensive than Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Lucia 5% lower, Cayo Coco 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 CUP 236

$4.85 CUP 116

102.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.90 CUP 718

$14.79 CUP 355

102.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 CUP 173

$6.88 CUP 165

4.65%

Cappuccino

$3.29 CUP 78.9

$0.99 CUP 23.69

232.32%

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

$1.08 CUP 26.02

$1.96 CUP 46.97

-44.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CUP 20.97

$0.99 CUP 23.66

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 CUP 47.35

$2.03 CUP 48.77

-2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 CUP 73.2

$2.95 CUP 70.8

3.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 CUP 47.83

$3.05 CUP 73.1

-34.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 CUP 43.38

$1.03 CUP 24.67

75.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 CUP 36.57

$2.05 CUP 49.31

-25.85%

Eggs

$3.56 CUP 85.5

$3.57 CUP 85.7

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 CUP 149

$6.15 CUP 148

0.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 CUP 137

$4.93 CUP 118

16.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 CUP 259

$9.88 CUP 237

9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 CUP 66.3

$4.98 CUP 120

-44.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CUP 36.46

$0.97 CUP 23.31

56.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 CUP 49.88

$0.98 CUP 23.44

112.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 CUP 55.5

$1.01 CUP 24.35

128.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.79

$1.02 CUP 24.37

99.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 CUP 41.15

$3.02 CUP 72.5

-43.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 CUP 24.25

$0.97 CUP 23.37

4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.69

$0.97 CUP 23.32

2.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 CUP 95.0

$2.93 CUP 70.2

35.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 CUP 287

$10.08 CUP 242

18.45%

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

$2.05 CUP 49.22

16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 CUP 5.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.27 CUP 606

$19.77 CUP 474

27.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 CUP 78.3

$1.02 CUP 24.36

219.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 CUP 9.17

$1.02 CUP 24.38

-62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.20 CUP 365

$19.66 CUP 472

-22.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CUP 25.80

$0.98 CUP 23.44

9.18%

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

$71.3K CUP 1.7M

$70.1K CUP 1.7M

1.68%

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

$81.4K CUP 2.0M

$80.8K CUP 1.9M

0.78%

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

$35.39 CUP 849

$40.48 CUP 972

-12.57%

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

$14.82 CUP 356

$40.55 CUP 973

-63.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$247 CUP 5,930

$219 CUP 5,256

12.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.37 CUP 945

$40.38 CUP 969

-2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.01 CUP 360

$10.07 CUP 242

49.06%

Cinema Ticket

$0.98 CUP 23.40

$1.02 CUP 24.43

-3.92%

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

$162 CUP 3,888

$91.5 CUP 2,196

77.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,930 CUP 94.3K

$15.3K CUP 366.0K

-74.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.4 CUP 1,690

$39.50 CUP 948

78.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 CUP 1,331

$30.22 CUP 725

83.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 CUP 2,358

$74.5 CUP 1,789

31.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CUP 2,554

$80.8 CUP 1,939

31.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 CUP 13.3K

$396 CUP 9,499

40.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 CUP 8,341

$425 CUP 10.2K

-18.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 CUP 17.9K

$1,044 CUP 25.1K

-28.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 CUP 12.0K

$617 CUP 14.8K

-19.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$344 CUP 8,264

$296 CUP 7,114

16.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$369 CUP 8,859

$352 CUP 8,454

4.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.9 CUP 1,366

$20.16 CUP 484

182.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.94

-50.60%

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

Last update for Santa Lucia: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Santa Lucia and $396 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 182% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Santa Lucia vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 vs $234 per month, with Cayo Coco 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 Cayo Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Santa Lucia. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

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 $396 in Cayo Coco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cayo Coco runs roughly 28% less than in Santa Lucia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $162 in Santa Lucia versus $91.5 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,253 in Cayo Coco versus $1,276 in Santa Lucia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Santa Lucia. The gap between the two cities makes Cayo Coco 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 Cayo Coco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Santa Lucia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.