A young Cuban man, 18 years old, surprised over a million people on TikTok by showcasing the first house he bought in Cuba for $2,500, a feat he directly attributed to his earnings as a digital content creator.
Diego García del Prado, known on the platform as @dieegoblogger, posted a video on May 20 where he stated: "I live in Cuba and I can hardly believe it myself, I bought my house, it cost me two thousand five hundred dollars and there is no better option than this."
The property features a living room, three bedrooms, a kitchen, a large dining room, and a small unfinished terrace, and it had been uninhabited for some time at the time of purchase.
Diego did not hide the condition of the house, but neither did he mask his enthusiasm: "This year I won't be able to wear new clothes, but at eighteen, I'm going to have my new little house in Cuba."
The young man plans to remodel it gradually —cleaning, painting, and addressing the pending details— and invites his followers to track each stage of the process on social media.
In the video, he also responded to those who question whether TikTok can be considered a job: "To those who say that social media platforms like TikTok are not a job, I am proving it to you right here today."
Diego emphasized that the achievement has a familial significance: "She and I and my mom have a roof over our heads where we can live and sleep," he said, referring to the housing.
The price paid is striking even within the unequal Cuban real estate market, where the average in Havana is around $49,200, and in areas like Miramar or Playa, it can exceed $75,000.
In eastern provinces of Cuba, such as Las Tunas or Granma, averages drop to between $17,000 and $18,000, according to an analysis based on over 10,000 advertisements.
Diego's $2,500 is on the lower end of the market, corresponding to properties in significant need of rehabilitation, possibly in a peripheral or provincial area.
This case adds to a documented trend over the past two years: young Cubans who monetize digital platforms and use those earnings to acquire or renovate properties on the island.
A young woman identified as @yaneisycanta_98 purchased a house for 4,000 dollars in December 2025 and began renovating it, while another Cuban TikToker built a room thanks to income from social media in January 2026.
The buying and selling of homes between individuals has been permitted in Cuba since 2011 and requires formalization before a notary, payment via a bank cashier's check, and, for transactions above a certain amount, a sworn declaration regarding the legal origin of the funds.
The video by Diego accumulated 1,400,000 views and over 133,600 likes, with thousands of comments from followers who celebrated the achievement alongside him.
"What you see here today is not just a house, it's a dream come true. I never imagined I would be able to say 'this is my home,'" the young man wrote in the video description.
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