In a raw depiction of Cuba's crumbling purchasing power, a Cuban woman residing on the island shared on TikTok how she managed to buy essentials with money sent by a follower. The video starkly highlights the economic challenges faced by many Cubans.
Yanet Diary (@yanet_diary83) released a 53-second video on Tuesday, listing essential items she purchased: two small bags of rice at 700 pesos each, a kilogram of beans for 900 pesos, a kilogram of sugar for 750 pesos, bulk salt at 350 pesos per kilogram, a liter of oil for 1,300 pesos, coffee for 2,000 pesos, a can of tomato puree for 600 pesos, a kilogram of detergent for 1,300 pesos, and two bars of soap for 200 pesos.
Yanet referred to this as her "weekly shopping," totaling around 8,100 Cuban pesos—equivalent to just over 12 dollars at the current informal exchange rate of approximately 655 pesos per dollar.
This amount is staggering when compared to the average monthly salary in Cuba, which is about 6,930 pesos, or roughly 13 dollars. It means a single weekly purchase of essential goods can consume nearly an entire month's income.
"Before this video ends, I want to thank that very special follower for sending me a little money for the weekly shopping," Yanet expressed in her video, also acknowledging the support from her community on the platform.
The video surfaced just three days after the Cuban regime, through Resolution 150/2026, removed price caps on chicken, oil, powdered milk, pasta, and sausages, a measure signed by Finance and Prices Minister Vladimir Regueiro Ale.
Prior to this, President Miguel Díaz-Canel admitted the failure of price controls, acknowledging that they led to the disappearance of products from the market and even higher prices in the black market.
Magnitude of Economic Crisis in Cuba
Yanet's situation is not unique. The Food Monitor Program reports that the monthly basic basket for two people in Havana costs over 41,000 pesos, while independent economists estimate that the minimum cost of living per person is over 50,000 pesos monthly, about seven times the average salary.
Documenting shopping experiences on TikTok has become a form of social protest among Cubans on the island. Similar instances include a doctor who spent her entire monthly salary in a single day on basic groceries, and Keyla González, who demonstrated that with 10 dollars, she could only buy cleaning supplies, some sodas, and bread.
In all these instances, reliance on remittances or donations from abroad emerges as the only cushion against wages that barely cover a week's worth of food.
Official annual inflation recorded in May 2026 was 15.89%, but independent estimates place the real inflation in the informal market at around 70%, a gap reflecting the disparity between the regime's figures and the harsh reality faced by millions of Cubans at the market.
Understanding Cuba's Economic Struggles
What did Yanet Diary purchase with the money from her follower?
Yanet Diary bought essentials like rice, beans, sugar, salt, oil, coffee, tomato puree, detergent, and soap, totaling around 8,100 Cuban pesos.
How does the average salary in Cuba compare to the cost of basic goods?
The average monthly salary in Cuba is approximately 6,930 pesos, or about 13 dollars, which is almost consumed entirely by a single week's purchase of basic necessities.
Why did the Cuban government remove price caps on certain goods?
The Cuban government removed price caps because they acknowledged that these controls led to product shortages in the market and higher prices in illegal markets.