Is Cayo Perico heist worth it?

The Cayo Perico Heist is one of the most popular and profitable heists added to GTA Online. With the ability to complete solo and offering big payouts, many players wonder if putting in the effort to setup and complete the heist is worth it. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll cover everything you need to know about the value and profitability of the Cayo Perico Heist to help you decide if it‘s worth your time.

Overview of Cayo Perico Heist

The Cayo Perico Heist was added to GTA Online in December 2020 as part of the Cayo Perico update. Here‘s a quick rundown of the key details about this heist:

Takes place on the tropical Cayo Perico island owned by drug lord Juan Strickler
Can be completed solo or with up to 3 other players
Has several different approach options including stealth and aggressive
Offers big payouts, with the maximum solo payout being over $4.5 million
Has a cooldown period of 1 in-game day before being able to replay

Is Cayo Perico the Most Profitable Heist?

The Cayo Perico Heist brings in more money than any other heist in the game. It may require a slightly expensive set-up, but once you complete the heist for yourself and bring home that sweet bag of cash, there will be no going back to the lesser heists around the world of GTA Online.

According to osgamers.com, Cayo Perico offers the biggest payouts of any GTA Online heist. The maximum possible solo payout is $4,570,600 when playing on Hard difficulty and looting everything available. Even on lower difficulties, payouts scale based on primary target loot and optional secondary loot collected.

The only other heist that comes close in profitability is the Diamond Casino Heist. But the maximum solo payout for that is around $2.5 million, over $2 million less than Cayo Perico. Plus the Cayo Perico heist can be done entirely solo, while Diamond Casino requires at least one other player.

So if making money is your goal in GTA Online, the Cayo Perico Heist is definitely the most profitable option currently available. The payout is substantially higher than any other heist.

Is Cayo Perico Better Than Diamond Casino Heist?

The Diamond Casino Heist used to be the top dog for money making in GTA Online before Cayo Perico came along. But how do the two heists compare now that Cayo Perico is an option?

According to blog.turtlebeach.com, while the Diamond Casino heist is still a great option, Cayo Perico now firmly holds the top spot in terms of profitability.

Some key advantages Cayo Perico has over Diamond Casino:

Bigger solo payouts – As mentioned above, Cayo Perico has a much bigger maximum solo payout. You can earn over $2 million more going solo on Cayo Perico.
Better solo experience – Cayo Perico can be done fully solo without needing a partner. Diamond Casino requires at least 2 players.
More approach options – Cayo Perico offers both aggressive and stealth approaches. Diamond Casino is mainly aggressive.
More replayability – Cayo Perico has more random elements, keeping replays fresher. Diamond Casino can feel repetitive.

Overall, if your main goal is to make as much money as possible, Cayo Perico is now the clear winner. But Diamond Casino is still a fun and profitable option, especially if you want to mix up your heist experience. It‘s absolutely still worth playing in 2022 for variety.

Is Cayo Perico Worth It Solo?

A major advantage of the Cayo Perico Heist is the ability to complete the entire thing solo without needing a crew. But is it worth attempting solo?

According to thegamer.com, going solo is challenging but very doable if you‘re an experienced player. And the payout can be massive. Players report earning up to $2 million on their first solo attempt once they get the hang of it.

Although going it solo will of course make the heist significantly more difficult to complete, the upshot is that you‘ll earn more money to keep for yourself since you won‘t be splitting the take with anyone else.

Just be prepared to invest more time learning the best solo strategies for each portion of the heist. Once you have it down, you can reliably earn over $1.5 million per solo run. So if you prefer to work alone, Cayo Perico is incredibly worthwhile solo.

Is Cayo Perico Difficult To Complete?

Given its large payout, many players wonder if the Cayo Perico Heist is difficult to complete, especially solo.

According to thegamer.com, doing this heist solo isn‘t an easy task, but it‘s not quite as difficult as it looks if you know what you‘re doing. And if you follow this guide, you‘ll be able to finish this heist without anyone even knowing you were there.

Here are some tips to make it manageable:

Take it slow – Move methodically and avoid alerting guards. Stealth is key.
Study the patrol routes – Learn guard movements to avoid detection.
Utilize distractions – Throw cans, shoot out lights, etc to distract guards.
Choose your entry point wisely – Some entry points are easier than others.
Learn from failures – When you get caught, take note and adjust your strategy.

With practice, you‘ll be able to reliably run the heist solo without much issue. It just takes time to learn the best techniques. But the huge potential payout makes it all worthwhile.

Which Loot is Most Profitable in Cayo Perico?

To maximize your profit in the Cayo Perico Heist, you want to secure the most valuable loot. So which primary target and secondary loot is most profitable?

According to grandtheftfans.com, here is the expected value of each type of loot in Cayo Perico from most to least profitable:

Primary Target Loot

Pink Diamond – $1.3 million
Panther Statue – $1.9 million
Bearer Bonds – $1.1 million
Ruby Necklace – $1 million
Tequila – $900k – $990k

Secondary Loot

Gold – $500k per stack
Cocaine – $220k – $440k per bag
Weed – $150k per bag
Cash – $78k per stack
Paintings – $92k each

As you can see, the Panther Statue and Pink Diamond provide the most valuable primary targets. For secondary loot, focus on grabbing gold and cocaine first for the best payout bonuses.

When looting, fill your bag with gold first before any other items to maximize profit.

How Many Times Can You Replay Cayo Perico?

Given the high payout potential, players attempt to grind the Cayo Perico heist multiple times. But how often can you replay it?

According to gta.fandom.com, there is a cooldown period between replay attempts. After completing a Cayo Perico finale, you will get a phone call from Miguel Madrazo when it has reset allowing you to start again.

For solo players, the cooldown is 72 hours real time. For players completing as a group, the cooldown is 48 hours real time. This limits how frequently you can replay the heist.

Once the cooldown is up, you can launch Cayo Perico again and collect another big payday. This limit prevents players from earning money too quickly.

How Much Can You Make Solo in Cayo Perico?

As mentioned earlier, the maximum possible payout for completing the Cayo Perico heist solo is $4,570,600. But that requires getting the Panther Statue on Hard mode and collecting every bit of loot available.

A more realistic payout range for most solo players is between $1 million to $2 million per heist based on your performance.

According to gfinityesports.com, here are some benchmarks for average solo payouts in Cayo Perico:

On Normal difficulty, expect around $900k – $1.5 million per heist
On Hard difficulty, expect around $1.3 million – $2.5 million per heist
First time completions average around $1 million – $1.5 million

The biggest factors in your payout are:

Primary target value
Secondary loot collected
Playing on Hard vs Normal
Completing elite challenges

With practice, most dedicated players can reliably net $2 million+ per solo heist on Hard difficulty.

How Does the Payout Change with More Players?

Adding more players to the Cayo Perico heist increases the total payout. However, the per player payout decreases since you have to split it.

Here is how the maximum potential payout changes based on crew size according to gta.fandom.com:

Solo: $4,570,600
2 players: $2,910,800 per player
3 players: $2,272,400 per player
4 players: $1,890,800 per player

A 2 person team is considered ideal, giving you the best combined payout while still allowing stealth. Anything over 2 players will reduce your cut significantly.

However, even as a 4 player team the payout is still excellent. So if you have a good crew, Cayo Perico remains very profitable. Just expect to take home less personally.

How Long Does It Take to Complete Cayo Perico?

The amount of time it takes to complete the Cayo Perico heist from start to finish will depend on several factors:

Solo vs team – Solo adds more time for hacking, looting, etc.
Approach method – Aggressive is faster than stealth.
Number of setup missions – More preps adds time.
Experience – Inexperience adds time.

According to gta.fandom.com, here are some estimates on completion times:

Solo (Stealth): 60-90 minutes
Solo (Aggressive): 45-70 minutes
Team of 2: 30-60 minutes
Team of 4: 25-45 minutes

Your first run will likely take 90-120 minutes solo, and 45-90 minutes with a team. But with practice you can shave off a lot of time.

Experienced players report being able to regularly complete the heist fully solo in under an hour. This makes the huge payout incredibly profitable in terms of dollars per hour earned.

Is Cayo Perico Still the Best Money Maker in GTA Online?

The Cayo Perico heist has been regarded as the best moneymaker in the game for long, especially for solo players. But is that still true or have changes dethroned it?

According to sportskeeda.com, as of 2022 Cayo Perico remains the undisputed best way to make money in GTA Online. No content updates have added anything more profitable.

Some players felt Cayo Perico was nerfed after some tune-ups adjusted secondary target loot values. However, while some individual loot items pay less now, the overall per-hour value remains excellent.

Considering its huge payout, relatively quick completion time once mastered, and ability to solo, no other money-making method comes close to Cayo Perico.

Between the repetitive Contract missions, semi-passive businesses, and lackluster auto-shop contracts, Cayo reigns supreme for serious GTA Online grinders. If making money efficiently is the goal, the Cayo Perico heist is still the go-to activity.

What Other Heists Are Good Money Makers?

While the Cayo Perico Heist overshadows everything else, here are some other profitable heists worth considering for variety:

Diamond Casino Heist

Second most profitable heist
Maximum take around $2.5 million solo
More gameplay variety than Cayo Perico

Doomsday Heist

Pays up to $812,500 per player
Fun high-stakes missions
Requires facility to start

Pacific Standard

Part of the original heists
Pays up to $1.25 million per player
Classic heist action

The Contract

New Dr. Dre VIP contract
Pays around $1 million total
Very quick and easy

While they can‘t match Cayo Perico‘s insane profitability, mixing up your heist routine keeps things fresh. And these options still pay decently for more casual players.

Is the Kosatka Sub Still Worth Buying?

The Kosatka submarine is required to start the Cayo Perico heist. At $2.2 million it represents a significant investment. But is it still worth buying?

According to gfinityesports.com, the Kosatka is absolutely still worth its price tag for any dedicated GTA Online player. Given the insane money-making potential of Cayo Perico, you can easily recoup the sub cost after just a few heist completions.

Even buying the bare minimum sub, you‘ll quickly earn millions running the Cayo Perico heist. Upgrading it with the Sparrow helicopter ($1.8M) makes the setup missions faster too.

While $2.2 million may seem steep, without the Kosatka you‘ll miss out on the best money maker in GTA Online. For serious players, buying the sub should be a top priority.

Is Cayo Perico Worth It for Casual Players?

For hardcore grinders and solo players, the Cayo Perico heist is an incredible investment that will pay for itself almost immediately. But what about more casual players?

According to ScreenRant.com, Cayo Perico may still be worthwhile for casual players, just maybe not as quickly. If you only play occasionally, the 2.2 million Kosatka price tag will take longer to recoup.

The heist can also be quite complex and challenging for inexperienced players. Without time to practice and learn the best strategies, your payouts will be lower.

However, the fact Cayo Perico can be done fully solo makes it a great option if you don‘t want to rely on other players. And even at a casual pace, you‘ll still earn good money.

Just don‘t expect to be earning millions per hour as a casual player. Treat Cayo Perico as fun content first, and profitable second.

Tips for Maximizing Your Cayo Perico Payout

Here are some helpful tips to maximize your profits when running the Cayo Perico heist:

Play on Hard difficulty – Adds extra secondary targets for bigger takes.
Fill your loot bag – Grab secondary targets before primary target.
Stealth is profitable – Going loud leads to lower payouts.
Learn the guard patrols – Memorize patterns to avoid detection.
Complete elite challenges – Adds big bonuses to your take.
Explore the island – Discover extra loot spawns for more money.
Equip suppressors – Stay quiet to avoid lost earnings.
Watch YouTube guides – Learn optimal strategies from experienced players.