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: $1,291 in Santa Lucia versus $1,205 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Santa Lucia versus $1,658 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,326 in Santa Lucia versus $2,110 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Santa Lucia is roughly 7% more expensive than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Lucia 3% lower, Cayo Coco 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 CUP 236

$4.85 CUP 116

102.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.14 CUP 723

$14.73 CUP 353

104.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 CUP 173

$7.07 CUP 170

1.98%

Cappuccino

$3.35 CUP 80.5

$1.02 CUP 24.39

228.43%

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

$1.07 CUP 25.66

$2.05 CUP 49.17

-47.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 CUP 20.88

$0.99 CUP 23.67

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 CUP 47.55

$2.03 CUP 48.78

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 CUP 70.3

$2.95 CUP 70.8

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CUP 47.96

$3.01 CUP 72.3

-33.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 CUP 43.39

$0.97 CUP 23.30

86.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CUP 36.84

$2.01 CUP 48.32

-23.38%

Eggs

$3.72 CUP 89.2

$3.50 CUP 83.9

6.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.38 CUP 153

$6.06 CUP 145

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 CUP 137

$4.88 CUP 117

17.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.04 CUP 265

$10.18 CUP 244

8.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 CUP 66.4

$5.10 CUP 122

-45.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CUP 36.24

$1.02 CUP 24.46

48.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.67

$0.97 CUP 23.31

109.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 CUP 54.6

$0.97 CUP 23.38

134.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 CUP 48.55

$0.97 CUP 23.35

108.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 CUP 41.30

$2.98 CUP 71.5

-42.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.49

$1.02 CUP 24.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 CUP 23.57

$1.03 CUP 24.64

-4.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 CUP 93.9

$2.91 CUP 69.9

34.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 CUP 293

$9.97 CUP 239

22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 CUP 40.04

$1.95 CUP 46.80

-14.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 CUP 57.6

$2.05 CUP 49.16

17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 CUP 4.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.16 CUP 604

$19.73 CUP 474

27.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 CUP 76.6

$1.03 CUP 24.67

209.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 CUP 9.16

$1.02 CUP 24.42

-62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.78 CUP 355

$20.03 CUP 481

-26.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CUP 24.68

$0.97 CUP 23.32

6.19%

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

$70.3K CUP 1.7M

$70.6K CUP 1.7M

-0.38%

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

$80.2K CUP 1.9M

$81.1K CUP 1.9M

-1.06%

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

$35.02 CUP 840

$40.57 CUP 974

-13.68%

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

$14.95 CUP 359

$40.77 CUP 978

-63.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$252 CUP 6,042

$219 CUP 5,267

14.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 CUP 968

$39.94 CUP 959

0.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.30 CUP 367

$9.89 CUP 237

54.70%

Cinema Ticket

$1.03 CUP 24.71

$0.98 CUP 23.54

5.10%

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

$163 CUP 3,909

$91.1 CUP 2,187

78.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,070 CUP 97.7K

$14.9K CUP 357.8K

-72.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.9 CUP 1,703

$39.55 CUP 949

79.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 CUP 1,305

$30.45 CUP 731

78.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 CUP 2,447

$75.0 CUP 1,799

35.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CUP 2,554

$81.5 CUP 1,956

30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 CUP 13.1K

$393 CUP 9,437

38.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 CUP 8,556

$431 CUP 10.3K

-17.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$757 CUP 18.2K

$1,049 CUP 25.2K

-27.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 CUP 11.9K

$617 CUP 14.8K

-19.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$335 CUP 8,031

$304 CUP 7,297

10.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$368 CUP 8,821

$348 CUP 8,351

5.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.1 CUP 1,347

$20.02 CUP 481

180.32%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $546 in Santa Lucia and $393 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 180% 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 $245 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 7% 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.

Average pay runs 180% 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 $393 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 $163 in Santa Lucia versus $91.1 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,205 in Cayo Coco versus $1,291 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 7% less than in Santa Lucia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.