Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Cuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Cuba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Spain versus $962 in Cuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,401 in Spain versus $1,314 in Cuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Spain versus $1,665 in Cuba.

Living in Spain is roughly 71% more expensive than Cuba on average.

Spain (23% above) and Cuba (28% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,133 to $3,262, compared to $23.00$1,618 in Cuba. City choice carries more weight in Spain.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Cuba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.17 €13.91
$5.85 CUP 140
176.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.3 €49.27
$25.02 CUP 600
128.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.62 €9.14
$6.75 CUP 162
57.33%
Cappuccino
$2.38 €2.05
$1.61 CUP 38.66
47.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 €2.23
$1.91 CUP 45.81
35.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 €1.64
$1.23 CUP 29.48
55.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.49 €3.00
$2.04 CUP 48.91
71.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.03 €3.46
$2.47 CUP 59.2
63.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Cuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 €1.07
$2.90 CUP 69.6
-57.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 €1.37
$1.13 CUP 27.14
40.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 €1.37
$2.01 CUP 48.23
-20.90%
Eggs
$3.05 €2.62
$3.09 CUP 74.3
-1.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.55 €12.52
$5.97 CUP 143
143.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.42 €7.24
$5.52 CUP 132
52.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.52 €13.35
$11.07 CUP 266
40.20%
Apples (1kg)
$2.54 €2.18
$4.52 CUP 109
-43.81%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 €1.73
$1.19 CUP 28.59
68.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.09 €1.80
$1.48 CUP 35.47
41.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.53 €2.18
$1.56 CUP 37.40
62.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 €1.59
$1.83 CUP 43.98
1.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 €1.63
$2.51 CUP 60.2
-24.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.16
$0.93 CUP 22.44
45.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74 €0.64
$1.01 CUP 24.22
-26.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 €5.47
$3.44 CUP 82.5
84.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.66 €4.87
$9.84 CUP 236
-42.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 €1.08
$1.98 CUP 47.51
-36.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 €1.77
$2.09 CUP 50.2
-1.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Cuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 €1.46
$0.21 CUP 5.04
704.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.10 €30.20
$22.31 CUP 535
57.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.42 €3.80
$2.15 CUP 51.7
105.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.34 €1.15
$0.52 CUP 12.44
157.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.32 €22.64
$20.21 CUP 485
30.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.84 €1.58
$1.26 CUP 30.19
46.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.8K €33.4K
$71.3K CUP 1.7M
-45.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K €27.2K
$75.9K CUP 1.8M
-58.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Cuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$150 €129
$37.50 CUP 900
301.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.56 €17.69
$35.67 CUP 856
-42.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.49 €29.67
$226 CUP 5,430
-84.76%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Cuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.96 €41.25
$35.66 CUP 856
34.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.05 €13.80
$12.46 CUP 299
28.81%
Cinema Ticket
$8.99 €7.73
$1.03 CUP 24.62
772.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Cuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$509 €438
$108 CUP 2,592
370.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,884 €8,502
$13.3K CUP 320.4K
-25.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Cuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.5 €74.4
$39.10 CUP 938
121.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.14 €31.95
$31.17 CUP 748
19.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.0 €79.1
$69.9 CUP 1,677
31.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 €93.6
$70.9 CUP 1,702
53.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Cuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,045 €899
$343 CUP 8,240
204.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$834 €717
$520 CUP 12.5K
60.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,689 €1,453
$920 CUP 22.1K
83.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,238 €1,065
$622 CUP 14.9K
99.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,378 €3,766
$364 CUP 8,726
1104.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,747 €2,363
$344 CUP 8,260
698.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Cuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,073 €1,783
$36.51 CUP 876
5578.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.51
8.96
-60.83%

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

Last update for Spain: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cuba: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $898 in Spain, $272 in Cuba. Capital cities: $1,566 in Madrid vs $371 in Havana.

National salary averages: $2,030 in Spain, $36.00 in Cuba. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 230% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 130% more in Spain.

Public transport is 120% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 5539% higher in Spain, giving Spain stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Spain vs Cuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How does the cost of living in Cuba compare to Spain?
At $821 per month in Cuba and $2,198 in Spain, there's a 168% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do daily expenses compare in Cuba vs Spain?
Cuba is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Is rent more expensive in Cuba or Spain?
Rent in Spain beats Cuba across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Can you live in both Cuba and Spain on $2,000 per month?
In Cuba, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Which country is better for expats: Cuba or Spain?
It depends on what you're after. Cuba wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Spain vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries