Currency

National currency is Cuban peso, divided into cents, but in the big cities, most consumables are purchased in convertible peso. Attention, American dollars are not accepted in the island.
If you change dollars for pesos, it will apply a rate of 10%. None rate change for euros, Swiss francs or Canadian dollars.

Exchange rate:

In January 2005, 1 euro = 1.31 Cuban peso.

Traveller’s checks

Caution with traveller's checks: the country accepts only those from non-American banks! Then opt for Visa travellers or Thomas Cook. However, few merchants accept them so you must change them at the hotel or the Cadeca

Credit cards

¡Visa International, MasterCard and Eurocard are accepted anywhere in Cuba providing that they are not freed by a bank of the United States (seizure!).
Many places accept payment by credit card, most big hotels, but very rarely restaurants, and almost never the paladares.
The service stations Cupet (or Servicupet) also accept it. But in practice, doesn’t work always.
Many tourist shops accept payment by card.

Withdrawal of money with a credit card

Cash dispensers are beginning to appear in la Havana. But everything is going very slowly, a tourist can easily draw money with Visa or MasterCard directly in the counter. We must always present a passport.

Banks

Big banks (National Bank of Cuba, International Finance Bank, International Bank of Commerce, Banco Popular de Ahorro) open from 8.30 to 15, every day, except Saturdays and Sundays. Some banks (Cadeca of Santiago de Cuba, for example) are open on Saturday morning, even Sunday morning. In Havana, when everything is closed, it is always possible to go to the Hotel Habana Libre Tryp to make change.

Safety Tips

In pensions and hotels: in guest houses, check the safety of the house and check the status of room doors, before accepting it. In many middle and high range hotels, there are safes at the front desk, as well as small boxes with digicode in the rooms.

On the street: Come out with a minimum of money.
To avoid: backpacks.

In the shops: either count your money, ask for the receipt of purchase () and always check, because there are many cases of small scam.

Budget

A trip to Cuba is quite expensive compared to Latin America countries.