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: $2,642 in United States versus $963 in Cuba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,318 in Cuba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,072 in United States versus $1,672 in Cuba.

Living in United States is roughly 174% more expensive than in Cuba on average.

United States (98% above) and Cuba (28% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,335 to $5,182, compared to $23.00–$1,622 in Cuba. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$5.98 CUP 143

228.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$25.04 CUP 601

201.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$6.98 CUP 168

65.76%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$1.70 CUP 40.77

207.06%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.00 CUP 47.93

24.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.24 CUP 29.73

66.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$1.95 CUP 46.81

203.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$2.46 CUP 59.1

189.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.91 CUP 69.8

-62.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.17 CUP 28.07

204.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.07 CUP 49.80

128.99%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$3.16 CUP 75.9

37.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$5.99 CUP 144

111.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$5.48 CUP 132

124.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$11.17 CUP 268

48.61%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.43 CUP 106

16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.20 CUP 28.80

41.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.51 CUP 36.17

194.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.61 CUP 38.74

198.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.78 CUP 42.64

64.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.53 CUP 60.8

22.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.87 CUP 20.91

155.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.02 CUP 24.53

120.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$3.53 CUP 84.8

180.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$10.13 CUP 243

50.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.04 CUP 49.05

-6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.05 CUP 49.11

74.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.19 CUP 4.47

1194.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$22.40 CUP 538

188.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$2.09 CUP 50.1

80.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.48 CUP 11.42

256.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$20.20 CUP 485

48.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.27 CUP 30.42

-24.41%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$70.2K CUP 1.7M

-57.47%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$75.6K CUP 1.8M

-65.43%

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

$210 $210

$38.33 CUP 920

448.19%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$35.45 CUP 851

58.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$226 CUP 5,424

-67.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$35.52 CUP 852

27.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$12.43 CUP 298

73.77%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$1.02 CUP 24.46

1276.47%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$109 CUP 2,608

1167.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$13.1K CUP 315.5K

70.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$38.56 CUP 925

36.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$31.52 CUP 757

34.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$69.4 CUP 1,665

32.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$69.5 CUP 1,667

63.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$350 CUP 8,396

404.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$528 CUP 12.7K

177.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$897 CUP 21.5K

217.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$621 CUP 14.9K

281.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$361 CUP 8,672

830.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$335 CUP 8,041

695.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$36.32 CUP 872

11954.65%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cuba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $271 in Cuba. Capital cities: $1,625 in Washington, MI vs $365 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 503% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 217% more in United States.

Public transport is 56% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 12400% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 $823 per month in Cuba and $3,259 in United States, there's a 296% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Cuba: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 stretches only to regional areas and 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.