A Cuban woman who posts on TikTok as @lilianne.calunga revealed this Thursday what treating oneself means in Cuba: going out to eat with her son cost her 20,000 Cuban pesos, an amount she equates to four months of her salary.
In a 48-second video published on TikTok, the woman recounts how she decided to break the routine and take her son outside to enjoy a different day.
"Life in Cuba is expensive, it's tough, and going out to eat is a luxury that not everyone can afford," it warns at the beginning of the clip.
The day's menu included shrimp for her, ropa vieja for her son, pork, and pizzas to take home for the rest of the family.
"I spent 20,000 Cuban pesos; to give you an idea, that's equivalent to four months of my salary. Is it expensive? Yes, it is. All of Cuba is."
This means that the cost of that single meal out is more than triple the average monthly salary of a Cuban worker.
In Havana, a restaurant considered "affordable" can cost around 13,000 CUP per meal, while mid-range establishments average between 2,500 and 2,800 CUP per person.
The video by @lilianne.calunga joins a growing trend of Cubans documenting the real cost of daily life on the island on social media.
In July, a Cuban mother demonstrated that a trip to the park with her daughter —including food, a temporary tattoo, and a toy— cost her 5,600 CUP. In April, a documented monthly grocery expense from Santiago de Cuba reached 45,700 CUP.
Despite the impact on her finances, the video's creator does not regret her decision. "Seeing how much my son enjoyed it made it totally worth it," she concludes.
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