Cost of Living Comparison Between Vila Real and Havana Cost of Living Comparison Between Vila Real and Havana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Vila Real versus $877 in Havana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Vila Real versus $1,453 in Havana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,436 in Vila Real versus $2,029 in Havana.

Living in Vila Real is roughly 45% more expensive than in Havana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Vila Real 8% lower, Havana 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.39 €8.10

$3.81 CUP 91.4

146.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.41 €25.37

$27.24 CUP 654

7.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 €6.97

$4.99 CUP 120

61.92%

Cappuccino

$1.19 €1.03

$1.08 CUP 26.03

10.19%

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

$1.77 €1.53

$1.68 CUP 40.26

5.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.01 CUP 24.33

12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.93

$1.56 CUP 37.42

117.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.99 CUP 47.65

-17.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 €0.87

$3.79 CUP 90.9

-73.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.52 CUP 36.47

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$2.14 CUP 51.4

-41.59%

Eggs

$2.83 €2.44

$3.62 CUP 86.9

-21.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 €8.55

$4.37 CUP 105

127.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.67 €6.61

$4.58 CUP 110

67.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 €13.47

$8.70 CUP 209

79.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$5.94 CUP 142

-70.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.09 CUP 26.17

31.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 €1.38

$3.85 CUP 92.3

-58.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$2.33 CUP 55.9

11.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$3.71 CUP 89.0

-58.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 €1.57

$4.07 CUP 97.6

-55.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 €1.09

$0.81 CUP 19.55

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 €0.35

$1.40 CUP 33.68

-71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 €5.64

$1.94 CUP 46.68

237.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 €4.06

$4.09 CUP 98.2

15.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.53 CUP 36.68

-24.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 €1.44

$2.07 CUP 49.64

-19.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 €1.14

$1.23 CUP 29.63

7.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.86 €22.30

$22.69 CUP 545

13.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 €3.75

$2.63 CUP 63.0

65.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 €1.58

$0.44 CUP 10.47

318.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.27 €14.90

$20.37 CUP 489

-15.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.80

$1.25 CUP 29.97

67.20%

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

$33.0K €28.5K

$61.1K CUP 1.5M

-45.92%

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

$40.1K €34.6K

$61.0K CUP 1.5M

-34.26%

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

$114 €98.6

$47.74 CUP 1,146

139.53%

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

$17.70 €15.27

$39.30 CUP 943

-54.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.40 €41.74

$90.8 CUP 2,179

-46.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.12 €29.43

$19.09 CUP 458

78.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.63 €9.17

$13.13 CUP 315

-19.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 €7.94

$0.82 CUP 19.65

1021.95%

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

$344 €296

$113 CUP 2,708

204.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K €8,938

$7,009 CUP 168.2K

47.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 €58.7

$37.64 CUP 903

80.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.40 €27.95

$36.87 CUP 885

-12.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.9 €74.0

$69.9 CUP 1,678

22.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 €70.5

$56.9 CUP 1,367

43.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 €704

$256 CUP 6,148

218.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 €426

$216 CUP 5,184

128.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 €913

$949 CUP 22.8K

11.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$809 €698

$538 CUP 12.9K

50.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 €1,545

$334 CUP 8,012

436.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 €1,191

$399 CUP 9,564

246.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,141 €984

$33.40 CUP 802

3316.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

9.1

-60.99%

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

Last update for Vila Real: August 29, 2026

Last update for Havana: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $817 in Vila Real and $256 in Havana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vila Real pays 3316% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Vila Real vs $27.00 in Havana. Groceries flip the comparison at $229 vs $261, with Vila Real cheaper for home cooking.

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

Vila Real vs Havana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vila Real and Havana differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,269 vs $877 including rent). Havana is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3316% higher in Vila Real, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $817 in Vila Real versus $256 in Havana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Havana – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $29.00 in Vila Real. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,269 per month in Vila Real versus $877 in Havana – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $877 in Havana versus $1,269 in Vila Real, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Havana but tight or insufficient in Vila Real. The gap between the two cities makes Havana 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.

Safety-wise, Vila Real and Havana are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Havana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Vila Real. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.