Home › Travel Guides › Caribbean Travel Guide › Cuba › Money & duty free for Cuba

Money & duty free for Cuba

Currency information: 

Convertible Peso (CUC; symbol CUC$ or $) = 100 centavos. Notes are in denominations of CUC$100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 3 and 1. Coins are in denominations of CUC$1, and 50, 25, 10, 5, and 1 centavos.

Note: US Dollars are no longer accepted in Cuba and visitors will be charged 10% commission on exchanging them. In the 1990s, Cuba decided to slowly get rid of its Dollar reserves, banning the currency from general use and introduced the replacement CUC as a convertible currency under its control. CUCs cannot be purchased or exchanged outside of Cuba. Cuban nationals continue to be paid in the Cuban Peso (CUP; symbol CUP$ or $). In some tourist areas, the Euro is also accepted. Hard currency (ie CUCs not CUPs) must be used in most transactions. As of March 2011, 1CUC=1USD.

Credit cards: 

MasterCard and Visa are increasingly accepted, provided they are not issued by a US bank, or a bank with links to the USA, but hefty fees are often added. ATMs are more common but not ubiquitous. However, cash can be obtained in banks and Cadecas with non-US Visa credit and Visa debit cards.

ATM: 

ATMs are more common but not ubiquitous, but cash can be obtained in banks and Cadecas (Casas de Cambio) with non-US Visa credit and Visa debit cards.

Travellers cheques: 

US Dollar, Pounds Sterling and other major currencies are accepted; US Dollar cheques issued by US banks are not accepted but American Express travellers cheques issued by non-US banks can be exchanged, though not everywhere. It is recommended to take cheques in a currency other than US Dollars.

Banking hours: 

Mon-Fri 0830-1200 and 1330-1600, Sat 0830-1200. Hours may vary and banks may be open all day in larger cities.

Currency restriction: 

The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, subject to declaration of funds exceeding US$5,000 on arrival. Export is allowed up to the amount imported and declared.

Currency exchange: 

Money should be exchanged at banks or state-run CADECAs. Dollars attract a 10% surcharge on top of the normal commission (US citizens should bring Euros or Sterling to exchange). All local currency must be exchanged again before leaving the country. Card transactions attract a surcharge (of up to 12.5%) - see below.

Cuba duty free

The following items may be imported into Cuba by travellers aged 18 years and over without incurring customs duty:

• 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 500g of tobacco.
• 2.5 litres of alcoholic beverages.
• Gifts up to a value of US$50 (articles up to US$1000 will be subject to customs duty payments).
• 10kg of medicines in original packaging.

Banned imports: 

Natural fruits, seeds, beans or vegetables; meat and dairy products; weapons and ammunition; certain household appliances; all pornographic material and drugs.

Note: Electrical items with heavy power consumption may be confiscated and returned upon departure.

Banned exports: 

Items deemed cultural patrimony; manuscripts dating from between 1440 and 1500; library books; books edited by Libros Cubanos under the 'R' imprint; foreign editions published between the 16th and 18th centuries; Cuban editions published in the 18th century; lobster in any form or quantity.

Recommended Sites:

Protect yourself from malaria
Before you travel, find out if your holiday destination is in a malaria zone.
(An educational initiative organised and funded by GlaxoSmithKline Travel Health. UK/MARK/0173/10 September 2010)
Travel insurance
For residents of over 150 countries. High levels of medical, evacuation, emergency & most adventure activities covered.