Cost of Living Comparison Between Varadero and Bayamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Varadero and Bayamo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,618 in Varadero versus $1,500 in Bayamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Varadero versus $2,066 in Bayamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,380 in Varadero versus $2,632 in Bayamo.

Living in Varadero is roughly 8% more expensive than Bayamo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varadero 21% above, Bayamo 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.88 CUP 141

$3.27 CUP 78.4

79.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.70 CUP 1,145

$49.10 CUP 1,178

-2.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 CUP 220

$6.82 CUP 164

34.60%

Cappuccino

$1.03 CUP 24.66

$3.15 CUP 75.7

-67.30%

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

$1.97 CUP 47.22

$1.27 CUP 30.48

55.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 CUP 22.24

$1.08 CUP 25.85

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 CUP 91.2

$1.96 CUP 47.13

93.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 CUP 63.8

$1.77 CUP 42.58

50.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 CUP 70.7

$3.03 CUP 72.7

-2.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 CUP 31.47

$0.97 CUP 23.35

35.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 CUP 35.25

$2.96 CUP 71.1

-50.34%

Eggs

$2.44 CUP 58.5

$3.56 CUP 85.3

-31.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 CUP 147

$5.82 CUP 140

5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 CUP 120

$5.91 CUP 142

-15.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 CUP 291

$12.17 CUP 292

-0.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 CUP 118

$4.86 CUP 117

1.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 CUP 13.85

$1.22 CUP 29.36

-52.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.52

$1.47 CUP 35.29

-30.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 CUP 27.42

$1.47 CUP 35.40

-22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 CUP 21.33

$1.98 CUP 47.51

-55.05%

Onion (1kg)

$5.67 CUP 136

$3.03 CUP 72.8

87.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 CUP 8.49

$1.01 CUP 24.27

-65.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 CUP 13.09

$1.12 CUP 26.77

-50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 CUP 91.1

$3.88 CUP 93.2

-2.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 CUP 137

$10.01 CUP 240

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 CUP 19.26

$1.96 CUP 47.02

-59.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 CUP 17.27

$1.96 CUP 46.94

-63.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 CUP 4.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.88 CUP 477

$34.39 CUP 825

-42.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 CUP 48.34

$2.23 CUP 53.5

-9.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.25

$0.41 CUP 9.87

146.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.13 CUP 483

$20.14 CUP 483

-0.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CUP 31.78

$1.22 CUP 29.31

8.20%

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

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

$74.8K CUP 1.8M

-6.66%

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

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

$88.5K CUP 2.1M

-11.39%

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

$39.63 CUP 951

$30.49 CUP 732

29.98%

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

$39.25 CUP 942

$9.88 CUP 237

297.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$218 CUP 5,222

$253 CUP 6,065

-13.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.30 CUP 967

$40.26 CUP 966

0.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 CUP 359

$10.02 CUP 241

49.50%

Cinema Ticket

$0.99 CUP 23.67

$0.99 CUP 23.68

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

$90.6 CUP 2,173

$96.8 CUP 2,324

-6.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CUP 357.4K

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

-2.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.15 CUP 964

$20.09 CUP 482

99.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.72 CUP 713

$24.83 CUP 596

19.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 CUP 1,780

$71.3 CUP 1,712

3.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 CUP 2,026

$54.0 CUP 1,296

56.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 CUP 9,687

$431 CUP 10.3K

-6.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$797 CUP 19.1K

$679 CUP 16.3K

17.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 CUP 28.9K

$591 CUP 14.2K

104.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 CUP 15.3K

$978 CUP 23.5K

-34.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$387 CUP 9,293

$395 CUP 9,482

-1.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$352 CUP 8,437

$346 CUP 8,304

1.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.62 CUP 471

$19.82 CUP 476

-1.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

150.00%

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

Last update for Varadero: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bayamo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $404 in Varadero and $431 in Bayamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayamo pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Varadero vs $49.00 in Bayamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $258 per month, with Varadero 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

Varadero vs Bayamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bayamo is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Bayamo earns 1% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $404 in Varadero versus $431 in Bayamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayamo – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $48.00 in Varadero. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,618 per month in Varadero versus $1,500 in Bayamo – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,500 in Bayamo versus $1,618 in Varadero, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bayamo but tight or insufficient in Varadero. The gap between the two cities makes Bayamo 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 Bayamo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.