A Cuban woman who invested her savings in a property on the island posted a video on TikTok that encapsulates the frustration of thousands: she spent $60,000 on a house in Cuba and now regrets it. The user Heydita (@heydi_garcia18) shared her dilemma in just 17 seconds last Tuesday, triggering a wave of reactions.
"I spent sixty thousand dollars on a house in Cuba and now I'm thinking about moving back to the United States. I feel like I made a big mistake. I have a mansion, but with the heat, power outages, and the fact that I can't afford enough gas for the cars, I think the best thing is to return. What do you all think? Should I sell everything and go back, or should I hang on a bit longer and wait for a change?" she says in the clip.
The question he posed to his followers struck a collective nerve: the video garnered over 345,000 views, nearly 9,000 likes, and close to 1,900 comments in less than 48 hours.
The reasons given by Heydita are not arbitrary. Cuba is experiencing one of the worst energy crises in its recent history: power outages exceed 20 hours a day in several provinces, and the electricity generation deficit reached 1,945 megawatts in April of this year.
This is compounded by the scarcity of fuel. Gasoline, when available, costs up to 10 dollars per gallon, an unaffordable price for those who rely on their own vehicles. Liquefied gas for cooking is sold at 29 dollars for a 10-kilogram canister.
The case of Heydita flips the narrative that had become a trend on social media. Between 2025 and 2026, dozens of Cubans living abroad proudly documented their purchases of properties on the island, drawn in by the drastic drop in prices: in areas like Vedado or Miramar, properties that once cost $50,000 can now be found for between $15,000 and $20,000, a reduction of between 50% and 60% compared to 2018-2019, driven by mass emigration.
Since 2021, nearly two million Cubans have left the island. This population drain has depressed the real estate market and opened a window of opportunity for those purchasing from abroad with dollars. However, living in Cuba with that investment is a radically different experience than acquiring it remotely.
The regime has tried to capitalize on the interest of the diaspora: in February of this year, it presented a draft law that would allow Cubans to own up to two permanent properties, reversing a rule from 1988. However, distrust in the judicial system and economic instability dampen any enthusiasm.
The trend of return is also cooling off. In 2025, only 228,091 emigrated Cubans returned to the island, about 66,725 less than in 2024, a decrease that reflects the growing disillusionment with living conditions in the country.
Heydita's dilemma—selling a mansion or enduring the crisis while waiting for a change that never comes—is the same challenge faced silently by thousands of Cubans who bet on returning and now wonder if it was worth it.
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