You can buy this with an average salary in Cuba is $20 per month.

Summary

In this video, a Cuban woman named Lisa takes viewers through a day of shopping in Havana on a modest $20 budget. As they visit local markets, they navigate Cuba's unique economy, dealing with rising prices, scarcity of goods, and creative solutions like using newspaper as toilet paper. They purchase essential items such as eggs, rice, beans, and chicken, showing how Cubans make do with limited resources. The video offers an insightful glimpse into daily life in Cuba, illustrating the challenges faced by ordinary citizens while highlighting their resilience and resourcefulness.

Takeaways

• 😀 The average monthly salary in Cuba is less than $30, making budgeting for basic needs challenging.
• 😀 A budget of $20 can cover basic essentials like food, toiletries, and hygiene products for around a week.
• 😀 Local markets and small shops, often set up inside homes, play a crucial role in daily shopping in Cuba.
• 😀 Many products, such as fruits and vegetables, are sold by weight and can vary in price depending on availability and supply issues.
• 😀 Items like garlic and chives are important for flavoring food and are often used as substitutes for more expensive ingredients like onions.
• 😀 Toilet paper is scarce and expensive in Cuba, leading many people to use newspapers in bathrooms out of necessity.
• 😀 The cost of food staples like rice, beans, and pasta is relatively low, but basic proteins such as chicken and eggs are expensive.
• 😀 With inflation and currency fluctuation, the cost of living in Cuba is highly sensitive to changes in the value of the dollar.
• 😀 Charcoal and firewood are commonly used for cooking due to frequent power outages and the unreliability of electric stoves.
• 😀 The experience of shopping in Cuba involves a lot of improvisation and navigating small, informal businesses to make ends meet.

Q & A

What is the average monthly income in Cuba, as mentioned in the video?

Many people in Cuba earn less than $30 a month on average, with some professions like healthcare or store work receiving around $20.

Why does Lisa prefer to exchange dollars for Cuban pesos?

Lisa exchanges dollars for Cuban pesos because many small stores do not accept dollars, and exchanging money makes transactions easier in Cuban markets.

What is the significance of using newspaper in Cuban bathrooms?

Using newspaper in bathrooms became a custom in Cuba due to past shortages of toilet paper, which made newspaper a more affordable alternative during critical times.

How do small local markets in Cuba operate, according to the video?

In Cuba, many small shops are located in people's homes. These shops sell basic goods, and it's common for people to casually shop by looking through windows or doors of houses that have been converted into stores.

What type of products were bought in the video, and how were they budgeted?

The video documents buying items like garlic, tomatoes, bananas, rice, beans, condiments, eggs, sausages, and toilet paper, all while trying to stay within a $20 budget. The purchases reflect how limited funds impact daily life and meal planning.

Why were eggs considered expensive in the video?

Eggs were considered expensive because a carton of eggs costs around $7, which is a significant portion of the $20 budget, highlighting how certain items can consume a large part of the average income.

What role do small businesses in houses play in Cuban society?

Small businesses inside homes play a significant role in Cuban society, offering products like rice, beans, and personal care items, which are more easily accessible than traditional stores.

What is the current situation with bread in Cuba as shown in the video?

Bread has become scarce in Cuba, partly due to a shortage of wheat flour, making it difficult for bakeries to produce bread. One vendor in the video was able to meet the demand for bread, as it was in high demand at that time.

What challenges do Cuban people face when trying to cook at home?

Cuban people face challenges such as power outages and shortages of cooking supplies. Many use charcoal or firewood to cook during power outages, as electricity is unreliable, and induction stoves cannot be used during blackouts.

How does the cost of basic goods affect the daily life of Cuban families?

The cost of basic goods, such as food and toiletries, significantly impacts the daily lives of Cuban families, with a budget of $20 only stretching to cover a week's worth of essentials for two people. The high prices of essential items like eggs and chicken force people to carefully manage their limited resources.