Cuba faces severe food crisis as basic staple prices soar

Cubans are facing a severe food crisis as the cost of basic staples continues to rise sharply across the island. In Havana, residents have reported prices for essential items such as rice at 330 CUP, flour at 440 CUP, and chicken breast reaching 10,500 CUP. Other provinces have reported even higher costs, with oil prices in some areas reaching as much as 7,000 CUP per liter.

The economic strain is particularly evident when comparing food costs to the national minimum wage, which was set at 3,210 CUP per month as of July 2026. In Santiago de Cuba, a single bag of bread priced at 700 CUP represents approximately 22% of that monthly minimum wage. If a person were to purchase four bags of bread in a month, they would be left with only 410 CUP to cover all other living expenses.

Citizens across various provinces, including Villa Clara and Camagüey, have noted that these high prices are becoming the baseline reality rather than anomalies, making basic nutrition increasingly unaffordable for the average worker.