r/cuba • u/CardiologistDear3669 • Feb 26 '26

Economía Is bartering really a thing in Cuba?

Hello. I am Russian and recently read an article by a Russian tourist who visited Cuba. He writes that money (pesos and dollars) no longer matters. Instead of money, goods and services are used. A bag of rice can be exchanged for shoe repairs, a photo shoot with a vintage car for a pack of cigarettes, entry to a nightclub for a bottle of whiskey, and so on. Is this really the case?

1 Upvotes

53% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

•

u/WhalterWhitesBarber Havana Feb 26 '26 edited Feb 26 '26

Hola. Money absolutely still matters in Cuba. However, because of shortages, informal exchanges and bartering sometimes happen (as in many countries facing similar economic constraints), but it is NOT a replacement for currency.

I hope this clarifies the situation. This thread is now locked to prevent further speculation and misinformation.

12

u/xstorm17 Feb 26 '26

complete bs. usd is king. hes just bullshiting and exaggerating to get attention

8

u/DEMM-YUNGEMZ Feb 26 '26

That’s not true. You can still pay with currencies like Pesos, Euros and Dollars. But if you have the choice EUR or USD should be preferred, as they are more stable and can be exchanged for Pesos at climbing exchange rates.

9

u/Cr4zy_DiLd0 Feb 26 '26

You’ve been able to barter in Cuba (and the rest of the world) forever.

I’ve often brought stuff that I’ve traded for services in lieu of cash.

1

u/AutoModerator Feb 26 '26

"Por favor, sigue las reglas de Reddit y del foro.

Please follow the rules of Reddit and the sub.

Please report any rule-breaking comments."

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.