Havana on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Havana can be very cheap if you stay in casas particulares and eat where Cubans eat, though prices shift with the exchange rate. A realistic daily minimum is about US$45 per person when sharing a room.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | US$15 | US$35 | US$150 |
| Food & drink | US$15 | US$30 | US$70 |
| Sights & tickets | US$10 | US$30 | US$80 |
| Local transport | US$5 | US$20 | US$60 |
| Per person, per day | US$45 | US$115 | US$360 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Havana day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking Old Havana's four squares: Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza Vieja
- Sunset on the Malecon, the 8 km seawall
- The Paseo del Prado and the outside of the Capitolio
- Revolution Square with the portraits of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos
- Fusterlandia's mosaics in Jaimanitas
- The second-hand book market in Plaza de Armas
Cheap eats
- Pan con lechon from a street window, around US$2-4 in CUP
- Croquettes and street snacks, often under US$1-3 in CUP
- Cuban coffee at a ventanita, a few dozen CUP
- Rice and black beans with yuca con mojo, about US$2-4 as sides
- Ropa vieja at a simple paladar, roughly US$8-15
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in casas particulares (rooms in family homes) in Centro Habana for about US$25-45 a night, or in Old Havana for US$40-80. Breakfast is usually extra but good value.
Getting around cheaply
Walk in Old Havana and along the Malecon. For longer trips, share a negotiated taxi; colectivo taxis on fixed routes are cheapest. From the airport, a taxi to Old Havana takes about 30 minutes; agree the price at the official rank. Viazul buses go to Viñales and Trinidad.
A sample budget day
- Morning: walk the four squares of Old Havana (free) after breakfast at your casa
- Lunch: pan con lechon and juice from a street window, about US$4
- Afternoon: Museum of the Revolution (small fee) and Calle Obispo
- Evening: sunset on the Malecon, dinner at a simple paladar, about US$15
- Total: about US$45 including a shared casa particular
More ways to save
- Bring enough cash in clean notes; foreign cards may not work and ATMs are unreliable.
- Ask your casa owner for local restaurant tips rather than following street touts.
- Download offline maps before arrival; mobile data is slow and costly.
- Pay attention to whether prices are in CUP or dollars.
- Bring essentials such as sunscreen and medicines; they are hard to find.
- Watch the free cañonazo from the Malecon side if you do not want to pay La Cabaña entry.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can you visit Havana on a budget?
Yes. Casas particulares, street food and walking keep costs to about US$45 per person a day.
What is a casa particular?
A licensed room in a family home, the cheapest and often best place to stay, US$25-80 a night in Havana.
What is free to do in Havana?
Walking Old Havana's squares, the Malecon at sunset, Revolution Square, the Prado and Fusterlandia.