A young Cuban woman residing in Matanzas, identified as Sheyla (@sheyreyes03) on TikTok, has once again sparked a stir on social media after posting a video showcasing what she was able to purchase with 35,000 Cuban pesos in a biweekly grocery shopping trip.
"35,000 pesos is what I spend, it's my biweekly shopping in Cuba," he says at the beginning of the video, and clarifies that with that money he covers "hygiene, food, and some other things I might need." He adds: "Let's go out to the street to see what we can buy with 35,000 Cuban pesos."
After his journey through various stores, he returns home and comments: "Gentlemen, I just got home. As you can see, this is what I bought. Now I'm going to show it to you little by little. Sorry for the video quality, the issue is that there's no power."
Among the products he mentions having purchased are 10 pounds of potatoes, a jar of mayonnaise, a bottle of oil, five packs of hot dogs, 10 pounds of chicken pieces, pizza dough, bread, 10 pounds of chicken ground meat, one pound of ham, two packs of Prodal hamburgers, a dozen eggs, 15 pounds of pork, and a case of malt. "That’s where almost all the money went. I had 1,500 or 1,600 pesos left," he specifies.
The young woman insists that her strategy is to look for low prices: "I went to a Mipyme where everything was cheaper. Because I always look for the more affordable options, the more economical, the better, because with that money I can buy more things."
Regarding the context that other Cubans face, he warns: "The situation in Cuba is terrible. A person who does not receive help from abroad or who works at something here in Cuba that earns them a little money cannot make this purchase. Unfortunately, they cannot make it because everything is sky-high."
The video triggered a flood of reactions on TikTok, with dozens of users asking, "How much is that in dollars?" or "How much would that be in dollars?" Responses included, "About 100" and "It would be 100 dollars." Another user commented, "1,379 dollars, that's 35,000 Cuban pesos in dollars, I think that's too much. It costs 2,758 dollars a month," although that figure was challenged by other internet users.
Various comments expressed concern about food preservation during power outages: "If there’s no electricity, where are you going to store the meat to keep it from spoiling?" asked one user. Another added, "And without power, doesn't all the meat spoil?" while a third pointed out, "I'm worried that the meat and chicken will go bad because of the power cuts."
Some were interested in details about consumption: "How many people is that for?", "Why do you buy so much chicken?" or "Does the pork have hair?". There were also those who asked how she manages to get cash: "How do you get the cash?", while others made personal comments: "And if one day you broke up with your husband, what would you do?", to which another user replied: "Probably not envying those who have a husband that supports them."
There were no shortage of empathetic messages: "God bless that food, my friend," "Thank God you can buy your things," and "I’m happy when I see these videos where someone is going hungry less in our country. May God bless your food." From Venezuela, a follower wrote: "Here we are in the same struggle, but we carry on with faith."
This new video adds to a previous one where Sheyla showed what she purchased with 22,000 pesos, and to a post in which she simulated a purchase with the salary of a Cuban doctor, amounting to 10,000 pesos, demonstrating that it barely covers rice, vegetables, ground meat, and very basic products.
The TikToker has also documented the rising costs of culture on the island. At the Matanzas Book Fair, she reported that a “cuquita” was priced at 1,050 pesos, and that children's books and school supplies exceeded 3,000 pesos, at an event with low attendance.
In February, another one of its videos detailed the prices of beauty services in Cuba. A keratin treatment can cost 9,000 CUP, hair dye ranges from 1,500 to 2,000 CUP, and microblading costs between 20 and 30 dollars. These figures once again sparked debates about economic inequality and access to goods and services on the island.
Sheyla's case not only illustrates the real cost of living in Cuba, but it also creates a space for debate among Cubans both on and off the island. "Without words, all for the skies," wrote one user. Another commented: "God forgive me for complaining so much."
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