Cuban Salaries Rise to $19 a month

[El Presidente]

The average monthly salary in Cuba rose 17 per cent between 2006-2011 to the equivalent of $US19 ($A19.67), the state statistics office say

Cuban Salaries Rise to $19 a month

Reported by AAP 5th of June 2012

The average monthly salary in Cuba rose 17 per cent between 2006-2011 to the equivalent of $US19 ($A19.67), the state statistics office say.

That meant the average monthly wage of workers in Cuba - where the Communist-ruled state controls more than 90 per cent of the economy - climbed from the equivalent of $US16 ($A16.56) a month in 2006 to $US19 ($A19.67) last year, the office said on its website.

Low salaries are a key complaint in the Americas' only one-party Communist regime. There is a very small salary range from unskilled to highly skilled labour; so a street sweeper might make $US17 ($A17.60) and a brain surgeon $US22 ($A22.77) a month.

In the Caribbean nation of 11 million, education and health care are free or nearly free, but the cost of putting food on the table remains a major everyday concern.

Cubans who have access to hard currency - those who work in tourism or who have relatives overseas - can spend it to supplement their incomes. But million have no such access.

President Raul Castro's government has trimmed state payrolls and allowed a few crowd-pleasing changes like allowing Cubans to stay in hotels that once were only for foreigners.

But Castro, 81, has not launched any wholesale overhaul of Cuba's decrepit centrally planned economy which is kept afloat largely by Venezuelan economic support

[chr0nic]

Wow, that puts a lot in perspective... what do necessities cost over there? You know, bread, milk, beer?

[Vcool]

We had this conversation with a friend we made in Cuba last time we were there. She could not believe the things we pay for, and the amount we pay. She told everyone that we ran in to that she knew that we actually have to pay for funerals. They all laughed at us silly Canadians that have to pay to die.

Education (including televisions in every house), clothing, housing, food, transportation, healthcare among other things are generally paid for. The quality of some of these things is debatable. Many of the things that they do end up paying for are highly subsidized.

Basically, the way that I see it now is in "western" countries, well Canada at least, people end up working, getting much more money than Cubans on average, but we have many things to pay for. They thought our tax system was like bribing the government. So you might make 100 or 1000 times what Cubans make, but you have to consider the cost of housing, education expenses, taxes etc etc etc. Basically we we work for alot of money, and then give lots of it back to the gov't and keep a little. They work for alot less money but keep more of what they make.

Now don't get me wrong the average (canadian, american, australian, etc) has a higher standard of living than the average Cuban, but you have to keep in mind that it is alot different than being paid $20 dollars a month in other countries.

[chr0nic]

We had this conversation with a friend we made in Cuba last time we were there. She could not believe the things we pay for, and the amount we pay. She told everyone that we ran in to that she knew that we actually have to pay for funerals. They all laughed at us silly Canadians that have to pay to die.

Education (including televisions in every house), clothing, housing, food, transportation, healthcare among other things are generally paid for.

As long as cigars are free too, I'd be a happy man

[Vcool]

As long as cigars are free too, I'd be a happy man

I think they now have to pay for them. Last time there I stopped by a peso store (where the cubans shop), and bought a bundle of "relobas" I think the bundle was 1 CUP (25 CUP to 1 CUC which is the tourist money). Being a gringo, and not speaking the best spanish I clearly had to pay in CUC's and paid more than the CUP equivalent clearly, but I had to try them.

They do the food, clothing and things of this nature with a ration system. Now I'm not sure if there is a ration card per se, or if they consider their money (the CUP) as a ration system.

[PigFish]

Fidel and Hugo... Now that's a winning team!

[jacktarnold]

Granted two very different mentalities, but I don't think I could do it. I feel very blessed when I read situations like this and am grateful that I have the option to live the way that I do.

[mykeuva]

We had this conversation with a friend we made in Cuba last time we were there. She could not believe the things we pay for, and the amount we pay. She told everyone that we ran in to that she knew that we actually have to pay for funerals. They all laughed at us silly Canadians that have to pay to die.

Education (including televisions in every house), clothing, housing, food, transportation, healthcare among other things are generally paid for. The quality of some of these things is debatable. Many of the things that they do end up paying for are highly subsidized.

Basically, the way that I see it now is in "western" countries, well Canada at least, people end up working, getting much more money than Cubans on average, but we have many things to pay for. They thought our tax system was like bribing the government. So you might make 100 or 1000 times what Cubans make, but you have to consider the cost of housing, education expenses, taxes etc etc etc. Basically we we work for alot of money, and then give lots of it back to the gov't and keep a little. They work for alot less money but keep more of what they make.

Now don't get me wrong the average (canadian, american, australian, etc) has a higher standard of living than the average Cuban, but you have to keep in mind that it is alot different than being paid $20 dollars a month in other countries.

Hopefully those Cubans have no desire to travel, or eat a lot of meat.

[El Presidente]

We had this conversation with a friend we made in Cuba last time we were there. She could not believe the things we pay for, and the amount we pay. She told everyone that we ran in to that she knew that we actually have to pay for funerals. They all laughed at us silly Canadians that have to pay to die.

Education (including televisions in every house), clothing, housing, food, transportation, healthcare among other things are generally paid for. The quality of some of these things is debatable. Many of the things that they do end up paying for are highly subsidized.

Basically, the way that I see it now is in "western" countries, well Canada at least, people end up working, getting much more money than Cubans on average, but we have many things to pay for. They thought our tax system was like bribing the government. So you might make 100 or 1000 times what Cubans make, but you have to consider the cost of housing, education expenses, taxes etc etc etc. Basically we we work for alot of money, and then give lots of it back to the gov't and keep a little. They work for alot less money but keep more of what they make.

Now don't get me wrong the average (canadian, american, australian, etc) has a higher standard of living than the average Cuban, but you have to keep in mind that it is alot different than being paid $20 dollars a month in other countries.

Unfortunately you can't eat on $20 a month. You take your book and go to pick up your pound of rice and 1/2 pound of pork. None there. Off to the black market. Toiletpaper....off to the black market. You just spent the equivalent of $20 then and there.

You have a child. you have 2. you need to move to something larger than a one bedroom state apartment. You can't afford to wait 3 years. Off to the black market. $30-$80 a month.

You need a cream from a skin infection. The best one is only available at the Garcia pharmacy (predominantly for expats living in Havana). $16.

If you are fortunate enough to have a car/motorbike/vespa. A small bingle, mechanical fault. $$$

Your dog gets ill, Your child's birthday, your parents need some extra care, your apartment needs the wiring redone so the live wires are no threat to the kids $$

The true cost of living (getting by) in Havana for a family is $200 - $280 CUC a month. Those lucky enough to have family overseas can receive regular $ transfers. Those not are forced to steal from their jobs. For the majority it is the only reason you go to work.

"Fidel pretends to pay us and we pretend to work"

[Vcool]

I guess the other thing to put in to perspective is that most if not all Cubans that outsiders have interaction with are part of the CUC economy, and are in the upper echelons of the Cuban economy. There is a great deal of Cuba that most tourists don't see.

[El Presidente]

I guess the other thing to put in to perspective is that most if not all Cubans that outsiders have interaction with are part of the CUC economy, and are in the upper echelons of the Cuban economy. There is a great deal of Cuba that most tourists don't see.

Mate I can tell you that as someone who has gone there for a long time, with many great Cuban friends with whom I have dined in their houses, attended their family fiestas, cried at funerals and attended weddings, baptisms, kids birthdays.....if you really need something "hoy or manana" ...it is paid with CUC (use to be USD). I wish it wasn't the case.