Cuba Currency and Payment: Everything You Need to Know

What Currencies Are There in Cuba?

Since January 1, 2021, Cuba has had one official currency:

• the Cuban Peso (CUP)

Before that, there was a second currency: the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC). That was a tourist currency. It’s been out of circulation since 2021 and is completely irrelevant for your Cuba vacation.

These days, Cuba also has a virtual currency called the MLC (moneda libremente convertible). It has roughly the value of the US dollar, but isn’t an official currency.

It’s also common to pay in cash in US dollars or euros in Cuba.

These are the payment methods you’ll need as a tourist in Cuba

• Cuban Pesos in cash
• Credit card
• Euros or dollars in cash

All the Info on the CUP (Peso Cubano)

You absolutely need Pesos Cubanos for your road trip through Cuba. The CUP is the currency you use to pay on the street.

Where do you pay with the Peso Cubano?

• at most restaurants
• at small shops and kiosks
• for local bus and taxi rides within cities

How do you get Pesos Cubanos?

The Peso Cubano is only available in Cuba. You can’t take it out of the country, which means you can only exchange your money after arriving in Cuba.

Note: Try not to withdraw money in Cuba — instead, bring enough cash (preferably euros) with you. You’re allowed to bring up to $5,000 USD (about €4,555) into Cuba.

Overall, Cuba is a safe travel destination, so you don’t need to stress too much about carrying a lot of cash. That said, always leave the bulk of your money back at your accommodation.

Exchange rates in Cuba

There are multiple exchange rates in Cuba (as of January 2026):

• Official exchange rate: 1 Euro equals approximately 27 CUP
• Unofficial exchange rate: 1 Euro equals approximately 500 CUP

These are the places where you exchange CUP at the official rate:

• at banks
• at many hotels
• at CADECAs (official exchange offices)
• at airports

Here’s where you get CUP at the unofficial rate:

• on the street
• at private accommodations
• at many restaurants

The official rate is the legal way to exchange money. The unofficial rate is much, much better, but it is illegal. Many locals will offer to exchange money at the unofficial rate, and it’s increasingly common among tourists too.

Important tips for exchanging money:

• Never exchange money with strangers on the street.
• Always count the money you receive.
• Always make sure you’re getting CUP bills and not old CUC bills (those are worthless now).
• Don’t exchange too much money at once — nobody in Cuba wants Pesos Cubanos back. We exchanged at most 100 euros at a time.
• You cannot exchange euro coins in Cuba.

Withdrawing money in Cuba

You can withdraw money in Cuba. In cities like Havana, Trinidad, or Santa Clara, ATMs are fairly common — but not in smaller towns. On top of that, the machines are often out of service, out of cash, or have long lines.

That’s why we strongly recommend bringing enough cash with you. You really can’t rely on ATMs. When they do work, you’ll normally get CUP at the official exchange rate.

All the Info on the MLC (Virtual Currency)

Certain products and services in Cuba can only be paid for by card. This is where the virtual currency, the MLC (moneda libremente convertible), comes into play. The MLC has a value similar to the US dollar.

You pay for all products priced in MLC by credit card. When paying, you’ll need to show your ID. Usually your national ID card or a photo of your passport is fine.

When do you pay with the MLC?

There are exclusive stores where you pay with the MLC. These are shops that carry imported products you simply can’t find anywhere else in Cuba.

Think larger supermarkets, drugstores, and perfumeries. There’s often security posted outside these shops and they’re well-secured.

The MLC has no currency symbol. A package of pasta, for example, might simply be labeled 2.50.

Can Cubans pay with the MLC?

Yes. Locals need a special bank card to shop in MLC stores. To get one, they need dollars or euros in cash — they deposit these at the bank and then use the card for purchases.

However, many Cubans don’t have access to euros or dollar bills. On top of that, prices are incredibly high relative to local wages, meaning most people simply can’t afford the products.

Paying with Euros & Dollars in Cuba

As a tourist, you’ll often pay in dollars or euros too. This applies especially to tourist services:

• Bus rides with Viazul (euro prices, card payment only)
• Excursions and guided tours (usually dollar prices, card payment only)
• Hotels (usually dollar prices, card payment only)

Many services can only be paid for with a foreign credit card — which means Cubans are simply unable to use them.

Because of the MLC and the declining value of the CUP, locals also have a strong interest in foreign currencies. The euro is in high demand. That’s why you’ll sometimes also pay cash in euros for things like:

• Taxi rides
• Services at private accommodations (e.g., breakfast or laundry)
• At tourist restaurants
• Rental bikes

Our tip: Bring plenty of small bills — hardly anyone will be able to make change for large ones.

All Our Tips on Tipping in Cuba

We recommend always leaving a tip. People are genuinely grateful for every bit of extra money they receive. As a rule of thumb, we always tip 10 percent. At some restaurants, the tip is already included in the bill.

Locals also really appreciate donated goods. If you’d like to do something nice, you can bring medications, clothing, hygiene products, or food and give them to people you meet.

In which currency do you tip?

You can tip in either CUP or euros. We usually just use whichever currency we paid with.

Important: Never tip with euro coins. Nobody in Cuba can do anything with them.
Read all our travel tips for Cuba

Our Verdict on Paying in Cuba

Hopefully we haven’t completely overwhelmed you with all this information. We know it sounds complicated — but once you’re actually in Cuba, it’s really not that bad.

The key is to have all payment methods on hand: a credit card and enough euro bills in cash. With those two things sorted, you won’t run into any problems when exploring Cuba.

You can always come back and re-read this once you’re there. A lot of it will make much more sense in context. And for a first glimpse into life in Cuba, check out our travel report from Cuba.