Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Cuba Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Cuba

Name: Cuba
Address: CU

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,643 in United States versus $962 in Cuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,314 in Cuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $1,665 in Cuba.

Living in United States is roughly 175% more expensive than Cuba on average.

United States (97% above) and Cuba (28% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,343 to $5,081, compared to $23.00–$1,618 in Cuba. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$5.85 CUP 140

242.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$25.02 CUP 600

203.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$6.75 CUP 162

69.19%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$1.61 CUP 38.66

234.78%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$1.91 CUP 45.81

33.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.23 CUP 29.48

65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.04 CUP 48.91

200.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$2.47 CUP 59.2

190.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.90 CUP 69.6

-64.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.13 CUP 27.14

223.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.01 CUP 48.23

135.32%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$3.09 CUP 74.3

41.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 $12.76

$5.97 CUP 143

113.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.42 $12.42

$5.52 CUP 132

125.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$11.07 CUP 266

48.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$4.52 CUP 109

19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.19 CUP 28.59

38.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.48 CUP 35.47

210.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$1.56 CUP 37.40

214.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.83 CUP 43.98

59.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.51 CUP 60.2

24.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.93 CUP 22.44

143.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.01 CUP 24.22

127.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 $9.89

$3.44 CUP 82.5

187.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.10 $15.10

$9.84 CUP 236

53.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.98 CUP 47.51

-3.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.09 CUP 50.2

75.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.21 CUP 5.04

1080.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$22.31 CUP 535

190.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.15 CUP 51.7

78.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.52 CUP 12.44

238.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.58 $30.58

$20.21 CUP 485

51.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.26 CUP 30.19

-23.81%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$71.3K CUP 1.7M

-57.26%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$75.9K CUP 1.8M

-65.26%

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

$204 $204

$37.50 CUP 900

444.45%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$35.67 CUP 856

60.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$226 CUP 5,430

-68.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$35.66 CUP 856

30.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.12 $22.12

$12.46 CUP 299

77.53%

Cinema Ticket

$13.84 $13.84

$1.03 CUP 24.62

1243.69%

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

$1,384 $1,384

$108 CUP 2,592

1180.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$13.3K CUP 320.4K

70.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.0 $53.0

$39.10 CUP 938

35.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 $43.17

$31.17 CUP 748

38.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.6 $90.6

$69.9 CUP 1,677

29.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$70.9 CUP 1,702

61.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,766 $1,766

$343 CUP 8,240

414.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,459 $1,459

$520 CUP 12.5K

180.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,832 $2,832

$920 CUP 22.1K

207.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,411 $2,411

$622 CUP 14.9K

287.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,287 $3,287

$364 CUP 8,726

804.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$344 CUP 8,260

669.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,379 $4,379

$36.51 CUP 876

11893.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

8.96

-27.34%

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

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cuba: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,637 in United States, $272 in Cuba. Capital cities: $2,591 in Washington, DC vs $371 in Havana.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $36.00 in Cuba. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 502% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 217% more in United States.

Public transport is 67% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 12400% higher in United States, giving United States 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

United States vs Cuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $821 per month in Cuba and $3,212 in United States, there's a 291% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in United States 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.

In Cuba, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In United States, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Cuba wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.