What is your average spend per day when in Havana?

[El Presidente]

I had a couple of questions yesterday about how much spending money to budget for when in Havana

I know it varies person to person but :

1. Exclude boxes of cigars (but allow a couple of singles/customs purchased during the day).
2. Exclude accommodation.

Use the poll and/comment here on what you would spend in Havana per day? It will certainly help people budget.

If you have any tips as to how to keep costs down, feel free to let others know

[Bulldog4]

I found my biggest expense when I was there was transport. in havana you can walk just about anywhere people will say that from hotel nacional to old vieja is too far trust me it's only like a 15min stroll

[El Presidente]

I found my biggest expense when I was there was transport. in havana you can walk just about anywhere people will say that from hotel nacional to old vieja is too far trust me it's only like a 15min stroll

Crikey. if i ever tried to walk from the Nacional to Havana Vieja I would look like a sailing yacht. Tack....tack....tack.....tack....

[Bulldog4]

haha I remeber in February walking from vinales downtown part (only one road haha) to indigo caves damn near killed me I had to beg a tour guide with a bus to drop us back in vinales after haha nicest people in the world tho

[Zedman05]

Cabs are cheap as dirt there though. Even if you took 2 cab rides at $10-12 each, you still have a lot to spend. Just get someone to sell you their bike for a couple bucks and hope it's actually road-worthy

I found there was a ton to do, but if you stay away from the touristy traps, you can get a great bang for you buck enjoyment filled day.

[dvickery]

i typically take 1000$can and will bring home between 0$ and 400$ .

it also seems to me that i spend less for a havana trip than if i go to vara .

derrek

[cdnstogie]

Only been there once and took about 900 with me

Brought back box of cigars, and a bunch of loose ones, 3 packs etc, went to Havana on your with the wife, catamaran trip... Think that's it - left a bunch of change in tips etc.... Easy come, easy go

[Maplepie]

For food and cabs to the various stores/ areas, I've racked up 500 CUC a day.

Sent by the Enigma on BlackBerry.

[Maplepie]

For food and cabs to the various stores/ areas, I've racked up 50 CUC a day.

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Edit: whoops. clicked the quote button instead of edit.

[Optic101]

Edit: whoops. clicked the quote button instead of edit.

Was wondering about your "daily activities" spending 500

[Rushman]

Not including boxes and housing, somewhere around 100cuc per day for the wife and I. Sometimes less sometimes more.

Includes meals, coffees, singles, beer, etc.

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[Ryan]

I'll break mine down a bit.

I voted 100-150 CUC per day but I often spend much less than that, sometimes more.

Most days I'll have either a cheap lunch or a cheap dinner, eg. sandwich in the Nacional, 10 cucs with a drink.

An expensive dinner out for me 50CUC, mid range 30 CUC. Expensive lunch 20-30 CUC. Including drinks.

I don't drink wine in Cuba, it's generally very average and overpriced for what you get. Beer with a meal is perfect in Cuba.

Going out at night, after dinner, when my only spend is cabs, nightclub entry and booze, this is how it breaks down. I bring just over 200 CUC with me, expect to spend 100CUC and rarely spend more than 60CUC. I bring the extra because there are times when it's handy to have (friend runs out of money or an opportunity to buy something etc) and there are no ATMs around.

Beers in a decent nightclub are 1.50, Cuba Libre/Mojito 2.50.

If you're staying in a casa, don't buy breakfast in a hotel, overpriced at 12CUC. Get breakfast in your casa or bring breakfast bars with you. That's what I do, breakfast bars. I don't need a half hour in the morning to shove a couple hundred calories down my neck.

Keep lots of 1 cuc bills and coins with you, always handy. Change isn't easy to get. Don't buy something for 10 CUCs with 10-1 cuc bills/notes, break something larger. Always handy to have exact money (or close enough) for smaller costs. It'll save you a lot of time not having to wait for change, believe me.

If you're doing a fair amount of travelling in one morning or afternoon, say going from cigar shop to cigar shop, find a driver you like (it's best if you have already found him) and do a deal for 1/2 day. Usually 20-25 cucs, tip at the end too. Better than 5-10 cucs per trip and there's always a driver waiting for you.

[Puros Y Vino]

I went with ~ $50/day.

• Breakfast buffet was included in my stay at the Nacionale. Not the greatest, but certainly palatable. Fill up here and you can last to mid afternoon.
• My big spend was lunch. Anywhere from $10 - $20 (with a few drinks)
• Drinks afterwards at the Nacionale's back deck or elsewhere. (not including the bottle of rum snuck in)
• Late dinner/snack. I usually split a Cubano 2 - 3 ways at the Nacionale.

Rinse/repeat.

[riazp]

I went with ~ $50/day.

• Breakfast buffet was included in my stay at the Nacionale. Not the greatest, but certainly palatable. Fill up here and you can last to mid afternoon.
• My big spend was lunch. Anywhere from $10 - $20 (with a few drinks)
• Drinks afterwards at the Nacionale's back deck or elsewhere. (not including the bottle of rum snuck in)
• Late dinner/snack. I usually split a Cubano 2 - 3 ways at the Nacionale.

Rinse/repeat.

Pretty much this.

[Ryan]

I went with ~ $50/day.

• Breakfast buffet was included in my stay at the Nacionale. Not the greatest, but certainly palatable. Fill up here and you can last to mid afternoon.
• My big spend was lunch. Anywhere from $10 - $20 (with a few drinks)
• Drinks afterwards at the Nacionale's back deck or elsewhere. (not including the bottle of rum snuck in)
• Late dinner/snack. I usually split a Cubano 2 - 3 ways at the Nacionale.

Rinse/repeat.

Pretty much this.

You guys don't go out at night in Havana?

Sorry, you lost me there now.

[Puros Y Vino]

You guys don't go out at night in Havana?

Sorry, you lost me there now.

Yeah a bit. But we mostly head back to the Nacionale to drink and smoke. It's where everyone seems to congregate. We've hung out at El Gato Tuerto, (cough cough.. Salon Rojo and other jazz clubs). But the Nacionale is where the night seems to end...sometime around 4AM.

[TiminBC]

The last time I went I spent $1600 Canadian in 3 weeks including casa's. I did not smoke everyday as I was less focused on cigars. I expect my next trip will be closer to $100 CUC on average without including cigar to take home.

[RijkdeGooier]

Apart from Casa money, I spend on:

1. Food - breakfast and dinner, around 25 CUC total

2. Cultura - 10-15 CUC

3. Smokes - 10-25 CUC depending on what I smoke

So a cheap day would be 45 CUC, an expensive day would be 65 CUC

[Maplepie]

When do you get a chance to go down!? Often, I hope!

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[RijkdeGooier]

I think I've spend a total of about a year's worth in Cuba...

[Maplepie]

Drop a line next time you're down

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[Bartolomeo]

$40 for a private driver

$8-12 for lunch somewhere

$10-$25 for supper

$40-50 drinks

$10 donations

$10 misc

$5 street food

$15 -3 Monsdales

Prob averaged $85-100 a day

[Ryan]

$40 for a private driver

$8-12 for lunch somewhere

$10-$25 for supper

$40-50 drinks

$10 donations

$10 misc

$5 street food

$15 -3 Monsdales

Prob averaged $85-100 a day

I like your last expense. "That doesn't count as 'cigars', that's a necessity"

[Mckucci]

When I was in Havana last year. Each day I put 100 CUC in my wallet. I bought 1 or 2 cigars a day, 2 meals and maybe 1 or 2 cab rides... I came back to the hotel each night with cash left over.

[oliverdst]

when you say "cab rides" you mean a taxi or a coco taxi?