Cost of Living Comparison Between Varadero and Mayari Cost of Living Comparison Between Varadero and Mayari

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,618 in Varadero versus $1,524 in Mayari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Varadero versus $1,914 in Mayari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,380 in Varadero versus $2,305 in Mayari.

Living in Varadero is roughly 6% more expensive than Mayari, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Varadero 21% above, Mayari 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.88 CUP 141

$6.16 CUP 148

-4.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.70 CUP 1,145

$19.96 CUP 479

138.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.18 CUP 220

$6.32 CUP 152

45.25%

Cappuccino

$1.03 CUP 24.66

$1.29 CUP 30.90

-20.16%

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

$1.97 CUP 47.22

$2.16 CUP 51.8

-8.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 CUP 22.24

$1.23 CUP 29.48

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 CUP 91.2

$2.45 CUP 58.8

55.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 CUP 63.8

$3.06 CUP 73.4

-13.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 CUP 70.7

$2.89 CUP 69.4

1.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 CUP 31.47

$0.84 CUP 20.08

55.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 CUP 35.25

$2.51 CUP 60.3

-41.43%

Eggs

$2.44 CUP 58.5

$3.09 CUP 74.1

-21.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 CUP 147

$5.97 CUP 143

2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 CUP 120

$5.35 CUP 128

-6.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 CUP 291

$11.67 CUP 280

4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 CUP 118

$5.14 CUP 123

-4.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 CUP 13.85

$1.23 CUP 29.51

-52.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 CUP 24.52

$1.37 CUP 32.79

-25.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 CUP 27.42

$1.47 CUP 35.23

-22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 CUP 21.33

$1.92 CUP 45.98

-53.65%

Onion (1kg)

$5.67 CUP 136

$2.82 CUP 67.6

101.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 CUP 8.49

$0.97 CUP 23.33

-63.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 CUP 13.09

$1.08 CUP 26.00

-49.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 CUP 91.1

$3.56 CUP 85.4

6.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.72 CUP 137

$10.18 CUP 244

-43.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 CUP 19.26

$1.77 CUP 42.51

-54.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 CUP 17.27

$1.98 CUP 47.53

-63.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 CUP 4.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.88 CUP 477

$19.93 CUP 478

-0.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 CUP 48.34

$2.34 CUP 56.2

-14.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 CUP 24.25

$0.39 CUP 9.35

158.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.13 CUP 483

$19.99 CUP 480

0.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 CUP 31.78

$1.21 CUP 29.15

9.09%

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

$69.8K CUP 1.7M

0.04%

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

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

$81.1K CUP 1.9M

-3.28%

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

$39.63 CUP 951

$34.42 CUP 826

15.14%

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

$39.25 CUP 942

$40.04 CUP 961

-1.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$218 CUP 5,222

$247 CUP 5,924

-11.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.30 CUP 967

$40.06 CUP 961

0.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.98 CUP 359

$15.24 CUP 366

-1.71%

Cinema Ticket

$0.99 CUP 23.67

$0.98 CUP 23.58

1.02%

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

$90.6 CUP 2,173

$118 CUP 2,834

-23.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K CUP 357.4K

$17.5K CUP 420.5K

-15.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.15 CUP 964

$54.7 CUP 1,313

-26.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.72 CUP 713

$40.30 CUP 967

-26.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 CUP 1,780

$44.34 CUP 1,064

67.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 CUP 2,026

$50.1 CUP 1,202

68.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 CUP 9,687

$212 CUP 5,093

90.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$797 CUP 19.1K

$667 CUP 16.0K

19.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 CUP 28.9K

$376 CUP 9,019

220.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 CUP 15.3K

$685 CUP 16.4K

-6.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$387 CUP 9,293

$397 CUP 9,524

-2.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$352 CUP 8,437

$354 CUP 8,504

-0.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.62 CUP 471

$21.32 CUP 512

-7.97%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mayari: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $404 in Varadero and $212 in Mayari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mayari pays 9% 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 $20.00 in Mayari. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 vs $247, 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 Mayari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mayari wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Varadero. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mayari the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Mayari earns 9% 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 $212 in Mayari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mayari – a meal for two runs $20.00 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 $1,524 in Mayari – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,524 in Mayari versus $1,618 in Varadero, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mayari but tight or insufficient in Varadero. The gap between the two cities makes Mayari 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 Mayari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.