Short answer: In Cuba, plan on roughly $30–80 per person per day on a casa-particular-and-street-food budget, $100–200 in a comfortable casa or boutique hotel shared by two with paladar dinners and a private driver between cities, and from about $300 for upmarket hotels, the best private villas and a driver-guide. At the Central Bank of Cuba’s official rate of about 698 pesos to the dollar, that is about 21,000–56,000 CUP, 70,000–140,000 CUP or from about 209,000 CUP, though most visitors pay in dollars or euros. A week therefore costs about $210–560, $700–1,400 or from about $2,100 per person, before flights and the electronic tourist visa.
Cuba’s prices are uneven. Private rooms in family homes (casas particulares) and private restaurants (paladares) are fair value, while state hotels and resorts are often expensive for what you get, and many everyday goods are scarce. Budgeting also works differently from other Caribbean islands: you should bring all the money you need in cash, many private businesses price in US dollars or euros, and peso prices change quickly. In 2026, fuel shortages and long power cuts also affect transport and some services, so leave room in the budget for a private driver when buses don’t run. This guide breaks it all down so you can build a realistic budget for your own trip to Cuba. Our Money exchange tool converts between dollars, euros and your own currency.
Cuba daily costs at a glance
These example days are built from the typical ranges further down this page: one person, one day in Havana, Trinidad or Viñales. They leave out flights, the e-visa and souvenirs.
| Per person, per day | Budget | Mid-range | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | Half of a simple casa particular room: $15–25 | Half of a comfortable casa or boutique hotel room: $25–60 | Half of an upmarket hotel room or private villa: from about $125 |
| Food | Casa breakfast, cafeteria and street food: $12–25 | Breakfast at the casa and paladar meals with drinks: $30–50 | The best paladares and hotel restaurants: from about $70 |
| Transport | Bici-taxis, shared taxis, a share of a colectivo or Viazul leg: $5–20 | Classic-car and official taxis, a share of a private driver between cities: $20–50 | A private driver and guide: from about $80 |
| Sights | Walking the old towns, the Malecón and the beaches: $0–10 | A guided valley walk, a museum or a classic-car ride: $20–50 | Private tours and excursions: from about $50 |
| Total | About $30–80 (21,000–56,000 CUP) | About $100–200 (70,000–140,000 CUP) | From about $300 (209,000 CUP) |
All figures here are our typical ranges, consistent with the daily budgets in our Cuba guides, not official prices or quotes; Cuba publishes few fixed prices for visitors, and private prices move with the exchange rate. Peso equivalents use the Central Bank’s official rate and are only a rough guide, because many private businesses use a higher informal rate.
What visitors actually spend in Cuba
Cuba does not publish a regular figure for what visitors spend per day. Its National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) counted about 1.81 million international visitors in 2025, fewer than in previous years, so most places are quiet and it is easy to find a room outside the holiday peaks. Without an official benchmark, use the example days above, built from the daily budgets in our Cuba guides, as your starting point.
Cuba has no score on our Travel costs by country scale, because the World Bank price-level data it is built on is not published for Cuba. In practice, what you pay depends less on a national price level than on choices: casas particulares and paladares, priced by their owners, are fair value, while state hotels and resorts often charge high prices for the quality.
Accommodation costs
The best way to stay in most of Cuba is a casa particular, a licensed private guesthouse in a family home. Casas quote one nightly price for the room, often in US dollars or euros, and most offer breakfast and dinner for a little more; they are the best way to stay in Viñales and Trinidad. In Havana, Vedado has casas in old mansions and the big hotels, and Old Havana has restored boutique hotels. As typical ranges, per room per night:
- Simple casa particular: about $30–50.
- Comfortable casa or small boutique hotel: about $50–120.
- Upmarket hotel or the best private villas: from about $250.
Hotel room rates are normally quoted with taxes included, and there is no separate nightly tourist tax added at checkout, as there is on many Caribbean islands; casas pay their own taxes and quote a single price. Before you book, ask whether the casa or hotel has a generator or backup power and water tanks, as power cuts are long and frequent in 2026. Mid-December to April is peak season, especially Christmas, New Year and Easter.
Food and drink costs
Private paladares serve the best food, from rooftop restaurants with harbor views in Havana to family-run dining rooms in Trinidad, and many price their menus in dollars or euros. Ingredients can be limited, so menus change daily. Casa breakfasts and dinners are usually good value and save searching for a restaurant during a blackout. For the cheapest meals, state cafeterias and street stalls sell sandwiches, pizza and snacks in pesos.
Cuban food is simple and based on pork, chicken, rice and beans (congrí or moros y cristianos), plantains, cassava with garlic sauce and ropa vieja, shredded beef in tomato sauce. Drink mojitos, daiquiris, Cuban rum and strong, sweet coffee. Cigars are a national pride: buy them only in official stores and keep the receipt. Bring a refillable bottle and drink bottled or treated water.
Getting around: Viazul, shared taxis and private drivers
Plan for slower travel than the map suggests, because fuel shortages affect buses, taxis and rental cars in 2026.
- Viazul buses: the state long-distance coach company links Havana with Varadero, Trinidad, Cienfuegos and other cities. It is the cheapest comfortable option, but departures have been cut, so book online in advance.
- Shared taxis (colectivos) and private drivers: often the most reliable way between cities in 2026. A shared taxi costs more than the bus; a private driver costs more again but can stop along the way. Agree the price in advance.
- Rental cars: available but expensive, with few cars; fuel is rationed, lines at gas stations can be very long, and some stations sell fuel only in US dollars by card.
- In the cities: walk Old Havana and Trinidad; between districts, use official taxis, classic-car taxis (almendrones), shared taxis on fixed routes, bici-taxis or ride-hailing apps such as La Nave where they work. Agree fares first and carry small notes.
Our Cuba itinerary shows realistic routes between Havana, Viñales, Trinidad and the beaches, with spare time built in.
Sightseeing costs and free things to do
Some of Cuba’s greatest pleasures are free: walking the streets, listening to music and watching the sunset. Paid extras such as museums, guided walks in Viñales National Park (which has a park fee and requires a licensed guide on its trails), boat rides, tobacco-farm visits and classic-car tours are priced locally and change often, so check on arrival and agree prices first. Opening hours change too, and power cuts can close museums without notice.
Free or nearly free:
- Old Havana and its fortifications, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, with its four main squares and restored palaces. Our city sightseeing guide has tips.
- The Malecón seawall at sunset, where the whole city seems to gather.
- The cobbled squares of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988 with the nearby Valley of the Sugar Mills, and live music on the steps beside the Plaza Mayor in the evening.
- The limestone hills and tobacco fields of the Viñales valley, best seen from the terrace of the Los Jazmines hotel above the road into town. See our hiking guide.
- The long public beach at Varadero and Havana’s Playas del Este. See our beaches guide.
Our Top 10 places to visit in Cuba covers each of these in more detail.
Entry costs and visitor fees
- Electronic tourist visa: since June 30, 2025, according to Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tourists must enter with an electronic visa from the official portal, evisacuba.cu, applied for at least 72 hours before arrival. The fee depends on where you buy it: it has been reported at about 22 euros through the Cuban consulate in Madrid and about $50 in the United States, and some airlines include or sell it with the ticket. Ignore look-alike sites that charge much more.
- D’Viajeros arrival form: free, completed online within seven days before travel; it produces a QR code that you show on arrival. Declare large amounts of cash on it.
- Medical insurance: visitors must have travel medical insurance valid in Cuba; it can also be bought from the state company Asistur on arrival.
- Taxes: hotel rates are normally quoted with taxes included, and the airport departure tax is included in air tickets.
Tipping in Cuba
Tipping is customary and important to people working in tourism: about 10% in restaurants (check whether a service charge is already added), a dollar or two for bar staff, housekeeping and musicians, and more for guides and drivers. Small dollar or euro notes are welcome. Our tip calculator does the math.
Money and payments: bring cash
Bring cash for the whole trip, in US dollars or euros, in clean, undamaged notes, including small bills. Card machines and ATMs are unreliable and often stop during power cuts, though some state stores accept only cards. Cuba’s currency is the Cuban peso (CUP). Since December 2025, the Central Bank of Cuba has published a floating official exchange rate, used at the state exchange houses (CADECA) and banks; it changes daily and was about 698 pesos to the US dollar in early October 2026. A higher informal rate is quoted on the street and by many private businesses, and many casas and paladares simply price in dollars or euros. Check whether a price is in pesos, dollars or euros before you agree to it, and change only a little money at the airport.
Money-saving tips for Cuba
- Stay in casas particulares. They are better value than most state hotels, and the family’s meals save money.
- Book Viazul where it runs. It is the cheapest comfortable way between cities.
- Share a private driver. Split between three or four travelers, a car between cities becomes much more affordable.
- Fewer bases, longer stays. Moving less saves on transport and the risk of delays.
- Travel in the shoulder season. May, June and November before mid-December balance lower prices and decent weather. Our best time to visit Cuba guide has the month-by-month details.
- Carry small notes. Change is often short, and small notes make tipping easy.
Plan your trip: our free trip planner can build a day-by-day plan for Cuba from our guides, starting with Havana, Viñales and Trinidad. The Cuba itinerary shows how to fit them into one or two weeks, and the Money exchange tool converts dollars and euros into your own currency.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do I need for a week in Cuba?
Using the example days above, seven days cost roughly $210–560 per person on a tight budget, $700–1,400 mid-range and from about $2,100 in comfort, before flights and the e-visa. Because you need to bring it all in cash, add a reserve of 20–30% for emergencies, transport changes and generous tips.
Is Cuba expensive?
It depends where you sleep and eat. Casas particulares and paladares are fair value, while state hotels and resorts are often expensive for the quality. Transport between cities can cost more than you expect when buses are full or not running.
Do I need cash in Cuba?
Yes. Bring cash for the whole trip in US dollars or euros, in good condition and including small notes. Card machines and ATMs are unreliable, especially during power cuts.
What currency should I bring to Cuba?
US dollars or euros. The local currency is the Cuban peso, about 698 to the dollar at the Central Bank’s official rate in early October 2026, but many private businesses price in dollars or euros, and a higher informal rate is common.
How much is the Cuban e-visa?
It depends on where you buy it. Reported prices range from about 22 euros through the consulate in Madrid to about $50 in the United States, and some airlines include it with the ticket. Apply only on the official portal, evisacuba.cu, at least 72 hours before arrival.
What is the cheapest month to visit Cuba?
September and October, the low season, are the cheapest, but they are also the peak of hurricane season and among the wettest months. May, June and November before mid-December are a better balance of price and weather.