A Cuban resident in Santiago de Cuba published a video on TikTok showing everything she bought for a month's worth of food, with a total expenditure of 45,700 Cuban pesos, equivalent to approximately 86 dollars.
The content creator, identified as Brianita_vlog (@briana5254), spent on purchases at a private store called La Cubana, located at Calvario corner San Ricardo, in Santiago de Cuba, open from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon.
Among the products purchased are coffee, cheese, ham, pork loin, beans, rice, yogurt, olive oil, spaghetti, tomato puree, mayonnaise, condensed milk, gelatin, sardines, and some snacks.
The video directly addresses criticisms the author has received on social media. "I receive many comments telling me that I am a liar for saying that there is food in Cuba, that I'm a millionaire or a relative of the President, or that I work for the State," she explained in the recording.
The expenditure amounts to nearly seven times the average salary in Cuba, which is about 6,930 Cuban pesos per month, highlighting the economic burden this purchase represents for most Cubans.
Regarding the exchange rate, at the time of publication, the dollar reached a historic high of 530 Cuban pesos in the informal market, while the official rate from the Central Bank of Cuba was 492 pesos per dollar.
It is not the first time a Cuban woman has documented her food expenses. Another content creator described the process of stocking up as an endurance sport, while another made a monthly purchase of 90,000 Cuban pesos, made possible thanks to family support from abroad.
Basic food prices on the island remain high. Recently, it was reported that beans were selling for 285 pesos per pound with a purchase limit per family unit, a situation that reflects widespread scarcity.
The economic crisis in Cuba is profound: the Cuban peso has lost 95% of its value since 2020, which has driven up the cost of living for the population. According to estimates, the cost of living in Cuba exceeds 50,000 pesos per month per person, an amount unattainable for those who rely solely on state wages.
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