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: $1,301 in Santa Lucia versus $1,227 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,832 in Santa Lucia versus $1,697 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,363 in Santa Lucia versus $2,167 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Santa Lucia is roughly 6% more expensive than Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santa Lucia 2% lower, Cayo Coco 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.84 CUP 236

$5.11 CUP 123

92.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.72 CUP 713

$14.97 CUP 359

98.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 CUP 171

$7.09 CUP 170

0.42%

Cappuccino

$3.33 CUP 80.0

$0.98 CUP 23.52

239.80%

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

$1.09 CUP 26.09

$1.98 CUP 47.48

-44.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 CUP 21.88

$1.03 CUP 24.62

-11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 CUP 46.97

$2.02 CUP 48.54

-2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 CUP 74.0

$2.93 CUP 70.3

5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 CUP 47.61

$3.07 CUP 73.7

-35.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 CUP 44.71

$0.98 CUP 23.63

89.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 CUP 34.92

$1.98 CUP 47.44

-26.26%

Eggs

$3.55 CUP 85.3

$3.54 CUP 85.0

0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 CUP 150

$6.12 CUP 147

1.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.65 CUP 135

$5.10 CUP 122

10.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 CUP 268

$10.15 CUP 244

9.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 CUP 65.2

$4.85 CUP 116

-43.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 CUP 36.24

$0.98 CUP 23.47

54.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 CUP 48.63

$0.97 CUP 23.30

109.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 CUP 52.4

$0.98 CUP 23.57

122.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 CUP 46.63

$0.99 CUP 23.69

95.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 CUP 42.66

$3.07 CUP 73.8

-42.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 CUP 23.54

$1.02 CUP 24.43

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 CUP 24.47

$1.02 CUP 24.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 CUP 98.6

$3.06 CUP 73.4

34.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 CUP 285

$9.83 CUP 236

20.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CUP 38.73

$1.94 CUP 46.58

-17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CUP 55.9

$1.97 CUP 47.21

18.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 CUP 4.56

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.31 CUP 607

$19.87 CUP 477

27.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CUP 77.6

$1.01 CUP 24.33

219.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 CUP 9.85

$1.01 CUP 24.34

-59.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.12 CUP 363

$20.33 CUP 488

-25.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 CUP 24.77

$0.99 CUP 23.71

4.04%

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

$71.2K CUP 1.7M

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

2.03%

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

$79.8K CUP 1.9M

$81.5K CUP 2.0M

-2.19%

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

$35.59 CUP 854

$39.66 CUP 952

-10.26%

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

$15.02 CUP 361

$40.34 CUP 968

-62.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$253 CUP 6,083

$222 CUP 5,340

13.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.95 CUP 959

$40.72 CUP 977

-1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.73 CUP 354

$10.15 CUP 244

45.12%

Cinema Ticket

$0.99 CUP 23.69

$0.98 CUP 23.44

1.02%

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

$165 CUP 3,963

$90.1 CUP 2,163

83.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,000 CUP 96.0K

$14.8K CUP 354.7K

-72.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 CUP 1,695

$40.80 CUP 979

73.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 CUP 1,312

$29.80 CUP 715

83.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 CUP 2,410

$75.4 CUP 1,808

33.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 CUP 2,496

$81.5 CUP 1,957

27.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 CUP 13.0K

$403 CUP 9,675

34.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 CUP 8,350

$422 CUP 10.1K

-17.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 CUP 18.1K

$1,064 CUP 25.5K

-29.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 CUP 11.8K

$612 CUP 14.7K

-19.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$336 CUP 8,075

$300 CUP 7,197

12.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$370 CUP 8,873

$354 CUP 8,503

4.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$55.5 CUP 1,331

$19.96 CUP 479

177.96%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $542 in Santa Lucia and $403 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Lucia pays 178% 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 $235 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 6% 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 178% 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: $542 in Santa Lucia versus $403 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 $165 in Santa Lucia versus $90.1 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,227 in Cayo Coco versus $1,301 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 6% less than in Santa Lucia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.