Side-by-side city decision # Delft vs Santiago de Cuba. A direct comparison of monthly costs, connectivity, safety, quality of life and remote-work fit. Share comparison Copy link DelftNetherlands3 VS Santiago de CubaCuba2 $2,200Delft monthly budget $670Santiago de Cuba monthly budget 120 MbpsDelft internet 2 MbpsSantiago de Cuba internet Decision summary Delft Delft leads on more of the six headline signals. Cost Best budget Santiago de Cuba Speed Fastest internet Delft Vibe Best nomad vibe Tie Safety Highest safety Delft Air Cleanest air Santiago de Cuba Walk Most walkable Delft Quick read ## Two cities at a glance The headline numbers before you examine the full comparison. [Delft](https://jobicy.com/cost-of-living/netherlands/delft.md) Netherlands 3/6 Budget$2,200 Internet120 Mbps Vibe7/10 [Santiago de Cuba](https://jobicy.com/cost-of-living/cuba/santiago-de-cuba.md) Cuba 2/6 Budget$670 Internet2 Mbps Vibe7/10 Full comparison ## Compare what matters Green marks the stronger numeric result. Text-only categories are presented without a winner. Differences only ### Monthly budget and costs 7 signals Total estimated budget $2,200 $670 1-bed center rent $1,400 $250 Coworking desk $250 $50 Local meal $16 $5 Cappuccino $3.8 $1.5 Gym membership $45 $15 Transport budget $80 $20 ### Work and infrastructure 2 signals Internet speed 120 Mbps 2 Mbps Nomad vibe 7/10 7/10 ### Quality of life 5 signals Safety index 78/100 70/100 Air quality 72/100 80/100 Walkability 9/10 7/10 Female safety 8/10 6/10 LGBTQ+ friendly 8/10 5/10 ### Culture and climate 4 signals Healthcare quality Good Average English proficiency Excellent Basic Climate type Oceanic temperate Tropical monsoon Best time to visit May - Sep Dec - Apr Beyond the numbers ## What each city asks you to trade Costs and scores help narrow the choice. These practical strengths and limitations finish the picture. [Delft](https://jobicy.com/cost-of-living/netherlands/delft.md) Netherlands → ### Strengths * Excellent bike infrastructure and walkability * Historic, photogenic city center with canals and churches * Strong expat and student community (TU Delft) * Fast, reliable internet and plenty of coworking spaces * Central location – quick trains to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and The Hague * Very safe with high quality of life ### Trade-offs * High cost of living, especially rent * Frequent rain and overcast skies * Housing shortage – competitive market for apartments * Limited nightlife compared to bigger Dutch cities * Bureaucracy for registration and taxes can be slow * Learning basic Dutch helps despite excellent English proficiency ### Common visa routes * Schengen visa (90 days) * Dutch freelance visa (ZZP) * DAFT for US citizens [Santiago de Cuba](https://jobicy.com/cost-of-living/cuba/santiago-de-cuba.md) Cuba → ### Strengths * Very affordable cost of living * Rich Afro-Cuban culture and music * Friendly and welcoming locals * Beautiful colonial architecture * Close to beaches and nature * Relatively safe for solo travelers ### Trade-offs * Extremely slow and unreliable internet * Limited coworking spaces and remote work infrastructure * Cash-only economy – no digital payments * Bureaucracy and visa hassles * Frequent power outages * Shortages of basic goods like food and medicine ### Common visa routes * Tourist card (30 days) * Extension up to 90 days * Exit every 90 days (border runs) Reading the result ## Use this as a planning benchmark The headline score compares six directional signals. It does not weight personal priorities, visa eligibility, household size or individual lifestyle choices. Costs are monthly estimates, not guaranteed prices. Higher is better for quality scores and connectivity. Lower is better for budgets and individual expenses.