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: $1,622 in Varadero versus $1,496 in Mayari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Varadero versus $1,897 in Mayari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,399 in Varadero versus $2,298 in Mayari.

Living in Varadero is roughly 8% more expensive than in Mayari, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.86 CUP 141

$6.07 CUP 146

-3.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.14 CUP 1,155

$19.63 CUP 471

145.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 CUP 211

$6.44 CUP 155

36.80%

Cappuccino

$0.98 CUP 23.41

$1.33 CUP 31.96

-26.32%

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

$1.99 CUP 47.68

$2.14 CUP 51.3

-7.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 CUP 23.73

$1.22 CUP 29.19

-18.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 CUP 88.3

$2.51 CUP 60.2

46.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 CUP 61.0

$2.92 CUP 70.1

-13.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.99 CUP 71.7

$2.89 CUP 69.3

3.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 CUP 29.83

$0.79 CUP 18.87

56.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 CUP 36.03

$2.54 CUP 61.0

-40.94%

Eggs

$2.41 CUP 57.8

$3.06 CUP 73.4

-21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 CUP 148

$5.89 CUP 141

4.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 CUP 122

$5.36 CUP 129

-4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 CUP 286

$11.86 CUP 285

0.59%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 CUP 120

$4.87 CUP 117

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 CUP 13.79

$1.17 CUP 28.16

-51.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 CUP 23.46

$1.44 CUP 34.54

-31.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 CUP 27.28

$1.49 CUP 35.72

-23.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 CUP 22.05

$1.88 CUP 45.07

-51.06%

Onion (1kg)

$5.48 CUP 132

$2.91 CUP 69.8

88.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 CUP 9.19

$1.02 CUP 24.53

-62.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 CUP 13.75

$1.13 CUP 27.11

-49.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 CUP 86.5

$3.54 CUP 85.0

1.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 CUP 136

$9.89 CUP 237

-42.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 CUP 20.92

$1.78 CUP 42.70

-51.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 CUP 18.60

$1.97 CUP 47.29

-60.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 CUP 4.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.93 CUP 478

$20.22 CUP 485

-1.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 CUP 49.39

$2.32 CUP 55.6

-11.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 CUP 23.39

$0.39 CUP 9.26

148.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.18 CUP 484

$19.72 CUP 473

2.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 CUP 31.95

$1.24 CUP 29.65

7.26%

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

$68.7K CUP 1.6M

$70.0K CUP 1.7M

-1.80%

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

$78.4K CUP 1.9M

$79.5K CUP 1.9M

-1.34%

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

$39.57 CUP 950

$35.37 CUP 849

11.87%

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

$39.46 CUP 947

$40.17 CUP 964

-1.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 CUP 5,245

$251 CUP 6,021

-12.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.75 CUP 954

$40.34 CUP 968

-1.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.08 CUP 362

$14.78 CUP 355

2.03%

Cinema Ticket

$0.99 CUP 23.68

$1.02 CUP 24.43

-2.94%

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

$90.8 CUP 2,178

$117 CUP 2,815

-22.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K CUP 361.5K

$17.5K CUP 419.3K

-13.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.74 CUP 954

$55.3 CUP 1,327

-28.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.60 CUP 734

$40.62 CUP 975

-24.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 CUP 1,776

$45.47 CUP 1,091

62.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 CUP 2,069

$50.8 CUP 1,220

69.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 CUP 9,766

$210 CUP 5,034

93.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 CUP 19.1K

$680 CUP 16.3K

17.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 CUP 28.8K

$386 CUP 9,253

211.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 CUP 15.3K

$694 CUP 16.7K

-7.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$389 CUP 9,342

$403 CUP 9,660

-3.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$355 CUP 8,529

$349 CUP 8,368

1.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$19.38 CUP 465

$21.74 CUP 522

-10.86%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mayari: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Varadero and $210 in Mayari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mayari pays 12% 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 $246, 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 8% 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, salaries run 12% lower in Mayari. 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: $407 in Varadero versus $210 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 $1,622 per month in Varadero versus $1,496 in Mayari – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,496 in Mayari versus $1,622 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 8% less than in Varadero. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.