A Cuban resident in the United States sparked a debate on social media by posting a video on TikTok where she argues that living in Cuba —with a house of one's own and without paying rent— is a form of wealth that many emigrants do not appreciate.
The creator, identified as @candysantos_01, has been in the United States for ten years and recorded the clip in response to another user on the platform. In just over a minute, she made a direct comparison between both countries that garnered more than 51,000 views, 2,642 likes, and 560 shares.
The central argument of Candy Santos is that in Cuba one can enjoy the same material comforts as in the U.S., but without the pressure of working tirelessly to cover monthly expenses. "I can have my house with the same comforts here, but the difference is that you don't have to get up every day and work all year like an animal paying for all those little things you came to look for monthly," she stated.
For her, true wealth is not found in the bank balance but in the freedom of not having to rely on work to maintain a roof over her head. "If you have everything taken care of, all your bills paid, and you don't have to get out of bed forced to go to work just to pay for your housing, that is being a millionaire without having millions in your account," she asserted.
The Cuban also struck back at those who criticize that lifestyle: "Stop with that poor mentality and let no one tell you how to live your life, because life is yours and you only have one."
The video is part of a recurring debate among Cubans in the diaspora regarding the advantages and disadvantages of living on the island versus abroad, particularly active on TikTok.
The premise of Candy Santos is based on reality: in Cuba, most homes are owned by their occupants, a legacy of the socialist system that prohibited the real estate market for decades, which eliminates rental expenses.
However, this "advantage" contrasts with the reality faced by millions of Cubans in 2026: blackouts of up to 20 hours a day, shortages of food, water, and medicines, and a housing deficit of more than 929,000 homes that the regime has not been able to resolve.
The new Cuban Housing Law of 2026 also obligates building owners to pay monthly maintenance fees and allows the State to take possession of abandoned homes.
In the informal market of Havana, rents have reached up to 3,000 dollars per month, an unattainable figure for most Cubans who earn salaries in pesos.
Other Cubans on social media have put forward different perspectives: some warn that in the U.S. "you live to work," with greater stress and high bills, while others point out that living in Cuba without resources is unsustainable due to the widespread deterioration of basic services.
Since the year 2000, nearly 800,000 Cubans have settled as permanent residents in the United States, an exodus that reflects the tension between the relative emotional security of the island and the opportunities —and pressures— offered by the outside.
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