Cost of Living Comparison Between Varadero and Cayo Coco Cost of Living Comparison Between Varadero and Cayo Coco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,345 in Varadero versus $1,205 in Cayo Coco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,764 in Varadero versus $1,691 in Cayo Coco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,183 in Varadero versus $2,177 in Cayo Coco.

Living in Varadero is roughly 12% more expensive than in Cayo Coco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varadero 2% lower, Cayo Coco 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 CUP 106

$4.86 CUP 117

-9.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.65 CUP 472

$14.97 CUP 359

31.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 CUP 166

$6.85 CUP 164

0.73%

Cappuccino

$1.55 CUP 37.31

$1.02 CUP 24.51

51.96%

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

$2.00 CUP 48.11

$2.02 CUP 48.57

-0.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 CUP 21.96

$0.98 CUP 23.62

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 CUP 61.7

$1.96 CUP 47.01

31.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 CUP 83.7

$2.94 CUP 70.7

18.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.95 CUP 70.7

$2.91 CUP 69.9

1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 CUP 36.15

$1.02 CUP 24.42

48.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 CUP 34.77

$2.05 CUP 49.09

-29.27%

Eggs

$2.15 CUP 51.5

$3.69 CUP 88.6

-41.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 CUP 140

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.54 CUP 109

$5.13 CUP 123

-11.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 CUP 280

$10.15 CUP 243

14.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 CUP 81.7

$4.90 CUP 118

-30.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 CUP 24.13

$1.03 CUP 24.72

-1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 CUP 37.64

$1.03 CUP 24.61

52.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 CUP 38.43

$0.98 CUP 23.63

63.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 CUP 51.5

$0.98 CUP 23.61

118.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 CUP 93.4

$3.03 CUP 72.8

28.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 CUP 17.10

$0.98 CUP 23.59

-27.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 CUP 13.80

$0.98 CUP 23.57

-41.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 CUP 90.8

$3.08 CUP 73.8

22.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.55 CUP 133

$9.84 CUP 236

-43.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 CUP 21.37

$2.03 CUP 48.83

-56.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CUP 50.4

$1.96 CUP 47.09

7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 CUP 2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.38 CUP 369

$20.29 CUP 487

-24.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 CUP 47.48

$1.02 CUP 24.51

94.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 CUP 24.36

$1.01 CUP 24.27

0.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.04 CUP 481

$20.34 CUP 488

-1.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CUP 31.93

$0.98 CUP 23.46

35.71%

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

$70.0K CUP 1.7M

$69.4K CUP 1.7M

1.00%

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

$79.5K CUP 1.9M

$78.7K CUP 1.9M

1.07%

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

$40.56 CUP 973

$40.14 CUP 963

1.05%

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

$39.41 CUP 946

$39.72 CUP 953

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$220 CUP 5,269

$219 CUP 5,268

0.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.82 CUP 956

$39.25 CUP 942

1.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.85 CUP 356

$10.19 CUP 245

45.73%

Cinema Ticket

$1.01 CUP 24.34

$1.03 CUP 24.66

-1.94%

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

$91.7 CUP 2,201

$91.3 CUP 2,192

0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K CUP 353.3K

$14.9K CUP 356.9K

-1.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.25 CUP 942

$40.44 CUP 970

-2.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.25 CUP 726

$29.62 CUP 711

2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 CUP 1,788

$73.5 CUP 1,765

1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 CUP 2,038

$80.2 CUP 1,925

5.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 CUP 12.2K

$407 CUP 9,762

24.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 CUP 13.6K

$420 CUP 10.1K

35.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,186 CUP 28.5K

$1,049 CUP 25.2K

13.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 CUP 15.5K

$614 CUP 14.7K

5.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$390 CUP 9,363

$304 CUP 7,297

28.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$356 CUP 8,555

$345 CUP 8,286

3.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.05 CUP 457

$20.09 CUP 482

-5.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

50.00%

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

Last update for Varadero: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cayo Coco: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Varadero and $407 in Cayo Coco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cayo Coco pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Varadero vs $15.00 in Cayo Coco. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 vs $234, with Varadero cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cayo Coco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cayo Coco wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Varadero. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cayo Coco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Cayo Coco. 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: $508 in Varadero versus $407 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 32% less than in Varadero. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $91.7 in Varadero versus $91.3 in Cayo Coco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,205 in Cayo Coco versus $1,345 in Varadero, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cayo Coco but tight or insufficient in Varadero. 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 12% less than in Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.