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: $1,293 in Santa Lucia versus $1,245 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,823 in Santa Lucia versus $1,697 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,353 in Santa Lucia versus $2,150 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Santa Lucia is roughly 4% more expensive than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Lucia 6% lower, Cayo Coco 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.18 CUP 244

$4.92 CUP 118

106.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.76 CUP 714

$15.29 CUP 367

94.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 CUP 172

$6.86 CUP 165

4.37%

Cappuccino

$3.39 CUP 81.5

$0.98 CUP 23.48

245.92%

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

$1.12 CUP 26.92

$2.05 CUP 49.25

-45.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 CUP 22.10

$1.03 CUP 24.61

-10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 CUP 47.05

$1.98 CUP 47.52

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 CUP 69.8

$3.08 CUP 74.0

-5.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 CUP 46.20

$3.09 CUP 74.1

-37.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 CUP 43.27

$0.98 CUP 23.49

83.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 CUP 35.56

$2.05 CUP 49.18

-27.80%

Eggs

$3.64 CUP 87.4

$3.62 CUP 86.8

0.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 CUP 150

$5.89 CUP 141

6.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 CUP 137

$5.10 CUP 123

12.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 CUP 266

$10.19 CUP 245

8.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 CUP 66.6

$5.03 CUP 121

-44.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CUP 36.79

$0.99 CUP 23.67

54.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 CUP 48.43

$1.03 CUP 24.70

96.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 CUP 52.7

$0.99 CUP 23.66

121.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 CUP 47.25

$1.02 CUP 24.43

93.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 CUP 43.13

$2.95 CUP 70.8

-38.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 CUP 24.39

$1.02 CUP 24.59

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.53

$1.01 CUP 24.28

0.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 CUP 98.7

$3.02 CUP 72.4

36.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.84 CUP 284

$9.90 CUP 238

19.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 CUP 39.30

$2.03 CUP 48.68

-19.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 CUP 56.1

$2.05 CUP 49.11

14.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 CUP 4.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.29 CUP 607

$19.98 CUP 480

26.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CUP 77.1

$0.98 CUP 23.42

227.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 CUP 9.27

$0.97 CUP 23.34

-59.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.03 CUP 361

$19.67 CUP 472

-23.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 CUP 25.65

$0.98 CUP 23.60

9.18%

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

$70.9K CUP 1.7M

$68.9K CUP 1.7M

2.93%

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

$79.0K CUP 1.9M

$79.7K CUP 1.9M

-0.85%

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

$34.71 CUP 833

$40.10 CUP 962

-13.44%

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

$15.23 CUP 366

$40.25 CUP 966

-62.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$249 CUP 5,970

$224 CUP 5,371

11.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 CUP 963

$39.52 CUP 948

1.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 CUP 363

$9.82 CUP 236

54.18%

Cinema Ticket

$1.02 CUP 24.45

$0.99 CUP 23.70

3.03%

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

$168 CUP 4,026

$90.0 CUP 2,160

86.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,017 CUP 96.4K

$14.9K CUP 356.4K

-72.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 CUP 1,672

$40.53 CUP 973

71.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.6 CUP 1,335

$29.88 CUP 717

86.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 CUP 2,356

$73.5 CUP 1,764

33.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 CUP 2,561

$80.4 CUP 1,929

32.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 CUP 13.4K

$394 CUP 9,451

41.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 CUP 8,474

$417 CUP 10.0K

-15.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 CUP 18.1K

$1,050 CUP 25.2K

-28.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 CUP 12.1K

$631 CUP 15.2K

-19.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$345 CUP 8,282

$305 CUP 7,310

13.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$368 CUP 8,833

$356 CUP 8,547

3.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$56.3 CUP 1,351

$19.79 CUP 475

184.49%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $558 in Santa Lucia and $394 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 184% 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 $236 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 4% 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 184% 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: $558 in Santa Lucia versus $394 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 27% less than in Santa Lucia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $168 in Santa Lucia versus $90.0 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,245 in Cayo Coco versus $1,293 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 4% less than in Santa Lucia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.