A Cuban resident named Bárbaro Miranda Hernández recently took to Facebook to share a video showcasing a pumpkin he purchased for 2,700 Cuban pesos, voicing his frustration against the government's system which he claims is "starving the people."
In the video, Miranda Hernández, holding the hefty vegetable, exclaims, "With the money I spent on this pumpkin, I could have bought the entire pumpkin patch, the owner, and the cart it was transported in." This post has already garnered more than 890,000 views.
The harsh reality of his statement is underscored by simple math: the monthly minimum wage in Cuba has been set at 3,210 pesos since July, which translates to less than four dollars at the informal exchange rate. A pumpkin costing 2,700 pesos amounts to 84% of this wage, meaning an average Cuban worker would have to spend nearly their entire monthly salary just to afford one pumpkin.
While Miranda Hernández acknowledges he can afford the purchase, he emphasizes, "I can buy it, but the entire country cannot. The nation is starving."
His critique is a direct attack on the political system: "They don't want us to say communism is garbage. They don't want us to say this system is trash, that it has never worked anywhere it's been implemented."
Soaring Food Prices in Cuba
In recent months, food prices in Cuba have reached levels unattainable for most citizens: onions are priced at 910 pesos each, oil ranges between 4,000 and 6,000 pesos per liter, egg cartons cost between 3,000 and 4,500 pesos, and meat is at 800 pesos per pound.
Official annual inflation hit 28.44% in September, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information, with the food and non-alcoholic beverage sector rising by 42.66% during the same period, accounting for nearly three-quarters of the monthly price index variation.
Independent economists estimate that an individual requires approximately 96,000 pesos monthly to meet basic needs, about 30 times the official minimum wage. The gap between income and prices continues to widen: the informal market dollar rate hit a new record high of 890 pesos on October 31.
The Impact of Government Policies
The skyrocketing prices are partly due to a regime policy decision: the Ministry of Finance and Prices' Resolution 150/2026, effective from June 2026, removed the price caps on several imported foods, further fueling speculation and corruption in the market.
Adding to this is the structural collapse of Cuban agriculture: a lack of seeds, fertilizers, fuel, and machinery means production costs are directly passed on to consumers.
Understanding Cuba's Economic Crisis
Why are food prices so high in Cuba?
Food prices in Cuba are extremely high due to a combination of government policy decisions, removal of price caps on imports, and the collapse of the agricultural sector, which lacks essential resources like seeds, fertilizers, and fuel.
How does the current exchange rate affect Cuban citizens?
The informal exchange rate significantly devalues the Cuban peso, making it difficult for citizens to afford basic goods as their wages are worth much less against the dollar.
What is the minimum wage in Cuba, and how does it relate to living costs?
The minimum wage in Cuba is 3,210 pesos, which is insufficient to cover the estimated 96,000 pesos needed monthly for basic living expenses, highlighting the disparity between income and living costs.