Cuban Tourists Shocked by Sky‑High Prices Amid Deepening Crisis

Videos shared on social media show Cuban visitors and shoppers confronting steep price hikes at popular beach destinations and city markets. On Playa La Herradura in Las Tunas, a private beach cabin cost 3,000 pesos, a beer 550‑600 pesos and a case of beer 11,400 pesos. In Havana’s La Güinera market, basic items such as a kilogram of rice sold for 680 pesos and a bottle of oil for 2,600 pesos, the latter amounting to about 81 % of the minimum monthly wage.

The posts highlight that the average Cuban salary in April 2026 was 7,074 pesos, with the minimum wage at 3,210 pesos. Official data show annual inflation near 18 % in June 2026, while independent analysts estimate inflation close to 70 %. The surge in living costs comes as the Cuban economy has contracted by about 15 % since 2020, amid power outages, fuel shortages and broader hardship.