The 86.6% of Cubans surveyed have to resort to the informal economy — what is known on the Island as "inventing" — to avoid hunger, according to the results of the second survey by Diario de Cuba, conducted by Cubadata between February 23 and March 13, 2026, with interviews of 1,788 people across the country.
The data reveals a structural paradox: four out of ten Cubans rely on the State for their salary, yet almost nine out of ten must make ends meet outside the official economy in order to eat.
Of the 86.6% that "creates," 56.5% engages in independent activities "always" or "frequently," while 30.1% does so "occasionally." Only 13.4% of respondents claim they never resort to economic means outside of state control.
The reliance on state employment has increased: 39% of respondents state that their income comes entirely or mostly from the Government, compared to 35% recorded in December 2024. However, that salary is increasingly insufficient: the average state salary is around 6,930 pesos per month, equivalent to about 13 dollars at the informal exchange rate, while the cost of living exceeds 50,000 pesos per month per person.
Informal activity has also become more precarious over time. In 2024, 24.1% of the population was able to sustain themselves "always" through autonomous activities; by 2026, that figure dropped to 16%. At the same time, those who must resort to these means "frequently" increased from 29.8% to 40.5%.
This means that informal entrepreneurship is no longer a growth option, but rather an intermittent emergency resource in response to inflation and power outages.
The survey also dismantles the argument that remittances serve as an economic cushion for Cuban households. Only 5.4% of participants receive money from abroad monthly, 64.2% did not receive any financial assistance from abroad in the last 30 days, and 43% state they never receive remittances.
Even when including those who receive them sporadically, the flow of foreign currency is not enough to prevent the daily deterioration that families are experiencing.
55% of citizens feel totally or partially dependent on the state-controlled economy, but survival is mainly achieved through informality, a sector that the regime tolerates out of necessity but does not regulate or protect.
This scenario takes place in a prolonged recession: the only countries on the continent with three consecutive years of GDP contraction, experiencing a cumulative decline of 12.3% since 2021 and a projected further contraction of 7.2% for 2026 are Cuba and Haiti.
According to the Cubadata survey, "Cuba in 2026 presents a domestic economy under maximum tension": the Cuban household relies on a hybrid system of an insufficient state foundation and a forced informal sector, which, despite being widespread, is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain stably.
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