Currency in Cuba - Cuban Peso & Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC)

Nowadays two currencies are circulating in Cuba: the Cuban Peso (CUP or MN) and the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC), both made up of 100 cents (centavos). The CUC was issued in 1994 and at the time of this writing, one CUC is worth twenty-four Cuban Pesos. There are circulating banknotes of 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 CUC and coins of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 cents (1 CUC).

As much the Cuban Peso as the Cuban Convertible Peso are exchangeable and expendable only within the country. You may obtain CUC at your arrival exchanging Euros, CAD, Pounds Sterling, USD, and other currencies. Currency exchange services are provided at airports, hotels, banks and exchange houses called CADECA or Casas de Cambio, spread along the country, some of which work 24 hours, seven days per week.

Exchange your currency safely

We strongly recommend that you exchange your currency only at Cuban Exchange Houses (CADECA), hotels or banks. In the streets, you may find impostors trying to exchange fake CUC bills or Cuban Pesos, usually offering better exchange rates, based in the traveller’s ignorance of the differences between the Cuban Convertible Peso and the Cuban Peso.

Logo of the Cuban Exchange Houses or Casas de Cambio (CADECA).

Some safety features of the CUC

• A watermark: with the denomination of the currency and José Martí’s effigy visible against light.
• Safety thread: with the text “PATRIA O MUERTE VENCEREMOS” visible against light.
• A 5 points star motive with a perfect front/back coincidence.

You can find the exchange rate of the Cuban Convertible Peso in many currency converters in Internet and in the Banco Central de Cuba web site, the main Cuban bank.

Currency exchange rates are slightly less favourable at the airports, so we advise to exchange there only what you may need to start your trip and then exchange the rest of your currency in a bank, hotel or CADECA.

Exchanging USD within Cuban territory

Exchanging USD cash into CUC is subject to a 10% tax on top of the exchange rate. This tax does not apply to other currencies or when CUC is exchanged into USD.

Most of the International credit cards are accepted in Cuba, either to pay for services and goods or to draw cash from ATMs. The credit cards accepted in Cuba are Master Card International, Visa International, Access, Diner’s Club International, Banamex, and Carnet.

You can find ATMs in several locations of Havana. You can find ATMs almost in every bank and hotel of Havana. Some of the Exchange Houses & Apartments (CADECA) also have ATMs. You can also find ATMs in the principal cities, such as Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, or in resorts such as Varadero, or the Keys. However, it’s not the same in smaller cities and towns. If you are going to visit a small city or a town, please, be sure to take the cash you may need.

Traveller’s checks issued by non American Banks can also be used to withdraw money in banks and some hotels.

US credit cards & traveller's checks

Credit cards and traveller’s checks issued in any country by American banks or their branches are not accepted in Cuba, and therefore are useless.