The informal currency market in Cuba opens this Monday with divergent movements: the dollar continues its downward trend, the euro rises slightly, and the MLC sees the most notable jump of the day with a recovery of 50 Cuban pesos in less than 24 hours.
According to the data recorded this Monday, the dollar is trading at 658 Cuban pesos (CUP) in the informal market, two pesos less than on Sunday. The euro rises three pesos to 750 CUP, while the MLC sees the most significant increase, jumping from 442 to 492 CUP, recovering almost all it lost over the weekend in just one day.
Informal exchange rate in Cuba Monday, July 13, 2026 - 07:00
Exchange rate of the dollar (USD) to Cuban pesos CUP: 658 CUP
Exchange rate of the euro (EUR) to Cuban pesos CUP: 750 CUP
Exchange rate from (MLC) to Cuban pesos CUP: 492 CUP
The MLC had fallen to 419 CUP on Saturday and 442 CUP on Sunday, before bouncing back strongly this Monday to 492 CUP, a level it was trading at in early July. Its volatility in recent days contrasts with the more gradual correction of the dollar.
The greenback has experienced a decline of 22 pesos from its weekly peak of 680 CUP, reached between July 7 and July 9. That figure was already far from the recent historical high of 695 CUP recorded on June 21, just after the National Assembly approved 176 economic measures on June 18, an announcement that spurred demand for foreign currency instead of calming the market.
Exchange Rate Evolution
Despite the recent downward adjustment of the dollar in the past few days, the gap with the official rate of the Central Bank of Cuba (BCC) remains significant: the agency sets the dollar at 592 CUP for July 2026, which is 66 pesos below the actual price at which Cubans operate.
That gap between the official and informal exchange rates reflects the structural decline of the Cuban peso, which has lost more than 95% of its value against the dollar in six years: from 42 CUP in 2020 to 658 CUP this Monday.
The impact on the wallets of Cubans remains devastating. With the dollar at 658 CUP, the minimum wage raised to 3,210 pesos since July 1st —a 53% increase— amounts to less than five dollars a month. The official average salary of 6,930 CUP barely reaches 10.5 dollars, and the minimum pension of 4,000 CUP received by more than 1.7 million retirees represents just over six dollars.
Independent economists estimate that meeting basic needs requires about 96,060 pesos per month, which is approximately 145 dollars at the unofficial exchange rate, meaning 14 times the official average salary.
The same experts warn that the current drop in the dollar may be temporary: "As long as those conditions do not change—real currency shortages, triple-digit inflation, a fiscal deficit, and a lack of confidence in the Cuban peso—the rate will eventually rise again."
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