How much does it cost to live in Cuba?


Living in Cuba as a foreigner will cost you around $607 per month without rent.

A family of four can live comfortably in Cuba on a $2135 monthly budget, rent excluded. 

Cuba is not an expensive place to live. Rent in Cuba is about 62.89% lower than in the United States.

On average, the cost of living in Cuba is 25.21% lower than in the United States.

The minimum salary in Cuba is 225 Cuban pesos a month, which equals $8.74.

This salary is still higher than the minimum salary in many other countries.

An average monthly salary in Cuba is $100.

As a socialist country, Cubans have free education and health care, but even basic groceries like milk are expensive for the average Cuban.  

A doctor in Cuba is a government employee and makes, on average, $50 a month.

If you want to move to Cuba, you have to have enough funds to live because you can’t work there as a non-resident.

A single person without children looking to relocate to Cuba needs anywhere from $750 to $1500, depending on the area.

Havana is the most expensive area to live in in Cuba, but smaller towns are a lot cheaper. 

How expensive is accommodation in Cuba?

While citizens of Cuba don’t pay for mortgage or rent, as a foreigner, you will have to pay.

Renting in Cuba is very cheap. If you are making good money, you could rent a one-bedroom apartment in the city center for $448 or $537 for a 3-bedroom apartment. 

The same apartment in the outskirts will be $350 less or from as little as $72 a month.

It is important to know that Cuba doesn’t have free internet or WiFi.

Internet access is unaffordable for Cubans as it is around $165 per month for 50 Mbps or faster. 

As a foreigner who makes more money than the highest salary earner in Cuba, you can afford the internet.

The best WiFi connection is usually at resorts and hotels.

How expensive is food in Cuba?

A decent meal in Cuba will cost you around $7 in an inexpensive restaurant and domestic beer is just $2.50.

A McMeal at Mcdonald’s is $5.25.

A three-course meal for two in a mid-range restaurant in Cuba costs $25. 

Compared to the United States, you would pay 22.7% less in restaurants in Cuba or 7% less for groceries.

However, 1 liter of milk in Cuba is priced at $3.37, which is 276.5% more than a liter of milk in the United States, priced at only $0.89.

How expensive is transportation in Cuba?

Transportation cost in Cuba is 22.2% lower than in the United States.

The best way to get around Cuba is by bus.

Other means of transport include taxis or rental cars, but riding the bus is the most affordable.

A monthly public transit pass in Cuba is $20. 

A taxi ride in Cuba, especially a long journey, is affordable if you share it with other people.

Getting from Varadero to Havana is $100, and the distance is 92.58 miles.

It is highly expensive to buy a car in Cuba. A Peugeot 207 from 2013 costs $113,000, while a Peugeot 5008 from the same year could cost $232,000.