🇨🇺 This is the cash-and-exchange guide for Havana and the anchor for the Cuba cluster. Unlike everywhere else on this site, the rule here is not "use a bank ATM", because US cards and ATMs do not work in Cuba. You bring all your cash and exchange it for pesos on the ground. For the full budgeting strategy and the 10% USD penalty, see the Cuba Money Guide. For where cash is essential by neighborhood, casas, and tipping, see the Havana Money Guide. Flying in? José Martí (HAV) currency guide.
🧾 Bring Your Cash Before You Fly
No ATM works for US cards in Cuba. Order clean, post-2009 EUR or USD to a US address, insured 2–5 day delivery, and bring your whole trip's budget plus a buffer.
Order EUR / USD Cash → CEI Currency ExchangeThe Havana money reality: no ATMs, bring it all, exchange for pesos
Money in Havana works nothing like the rest of the Caribbean, and three facts drive everything.
US cards and ATMs do not work. The US embargo blocks American Visa and Mastercard at every Cuban bank and processor, so there is no ATM to withdraw from and no terminal that will accept your card. European and Canadian cards work only unreliably at a few government hotels. You must arrive with all the cash you will need, in clean, post-2009 euro or US dollar notes, plus a 20–30% buffer.
Euros beat dollars by about 10%. The government applies a 10% surcharge on USD-to-peso exchanges that it does not apply to euros, so the same value in EUR gets you roughly 10% more pesos. Bring euros if you have the choice.
You exchange for Cuban pesos (CUP) on the ground. Pesos cannot be bought abroad, so you change your foreign cash at official Cadeca booths or bank counters once you land. Bring your passport for every exchange, and count your pesos.
Where to exchange money in Havana, by district
Habana Vieja (Old Havana): the tourist heart around the Plaza de Armas, Obispo Street, and the Capitolio has Cadeca booths and Banco Metropolitano counters, though queues can be long at peak times. Change here in modest chunks as you need pesos, keep your passport handy, and be firm with the "better rate" street touts around the plazas, who are almost always running a fake-bill or short-counting scam.
Vedado: the leafy hotel-and-embassy district along Linea and around the Hotel Nacional and La Rampa (Calle 23) has Cadecas and bank branches, often with shorter lines than Old Havana. A convenient area to do a larger exchange if you are staying in or near Vedado.
Centro Habana: the dense residential belt between Old Havana and Vedado has bank counters on the main avenues. It is less touristy, so exchange during the day, keep your cash discreet, and stick to official Cadeca or bank windows rather than street offers.
Miramar & the hotel zones: the upscale western district and the big resort hotels have in-house exchange windows, but their rates are the worst you will find, often 10–25% below the downtown Cadeca rate, sometimes with a flat surcharge. Use them only if you are stuck; otherwise exchange downtown.
The airport: the Cadeca in José Martí arrivals is fine for a small first exchange to cover your taxi, but the rate is worse than downtown. Full detail in our José Martí (HAV) guide.
What each exchange option actually costs
| Option | Where | Rate vs downtown Cadeca | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Cadeca / Banco Metropolitano (in EUR) | Habana Vieja, Vedado | The official reference rate; no USD surcharge | Passport required; count your pesos |
| Downtown Cadeca (in USD) | Habana Vieja, Vedado | ~10% worse due to the USD surcharge | Bring EUR instead if you can |
| Informal / casa-host exchange | Private | Often better than official; legally gray | Do at your own risk; count carefully |
| Government-hotel window | Meliá, Iberostar, Nacional | 10-25% worse, sometimes a flat surcharge | Avoid unless stuck |
| Any US-card ATM | Anywhere | Does not work for US cards | Will be declined |
| Street "better rate" offer | Tourist plazas | Scam: fake bills or short-counting | Avoid |
There is no US-card ATM in Cuba. Bring EUR to dodge the 10% USD surcharge, exchange at official downtown Cadecas or with a trusted casa host, and always count your pesos. The official rate and the informal rate can differ significantly and both move; ask your casa host what is current.
⚠ The one rule that matters: bring more cash than you think you need. There is no working ATM or card backup anywhere in Cuba. Calculate your daily budget, multiply by your trip length, add 20–30%, and carry that in clean EUR (or USD) notes, with an emergency reserve kept separate. Running out means a Western Union wire to a Cuban recipient or punishing hotel rates, if currency is even available during a shortage.
Practical rules for cash in Havana
Bring clean, post-2009 euros (or dollars)
Cuban exchange points refuse torn, marked, or older bills, so bring crisp, post-2009 notes in good condition. Euros are preferred because of the 10% USD surcharge. A service like CEI Currency Exchange can ship clean EUR or USD to your US address before you fly, or order from your home bank; allow several business days.
Exchange in chunks, keep pesos and reserve separate
Do not change all your cash at once. Exchange enough pesos for a few days at a time at a downtown Cadeca, keep your unexchanged foreign cash and an emergency reserve hidden separately from your daily spending, and hold on to your passport for each exchange. Count your pesos at the window every time.
Budget for a cash-only trip
In Havana you pay for casas particulares, paladares (private restaurants), taxis, museums, tips, and almost everything else in Cuban pesos you exchanged from the cash you brought. There is no card fallback, so plan the whole trip's spending in advance and pad it. See the Cuba Money Guide for the full budgeting method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there working ATMs for US cards in Havana?
No. US cards do not work at any ATM, bank, or shop in Cuba because of the embargo. Bring all your cash in clean EUR or USD notes and exchange for pesos on the ground.
Where do I exchange money in Havana?
At official Cadeca booths or bank counters (Banco Metropolitano, Bandec) in Habana Vieja and Vedado. Bring your passport, count your pesos, and prefer EUR to avoid the 10% USD surcharge. Downtown beats the airport and hotel windows.
Euros or dollars for Havana?
Euros. The 10% surcharge on USD-to-peso exchanges does not apply to euros, so EUR gets you about 10% more pesos. Bring clean, post-2009 notes.
What is the informal exchange rate?
A widely used peer-to-peer market, often via casa hosts, at a better rate than the official Cadeca. Legally gray, so do it at your own risk, only with people you trust, and count the pesos carefully.
Do I need MLC in Cuba?
No, most tourists do not. MLC is a card-based system for certain state stores, aimed at residents. You will pay for casas, meals, taxis, and tips in Cuban pesos exchanged from the cash you brought.
What if I run out of money?
There is no ATM or card backup, so it is serious. The only options are a Western Union wire to a Cuban recipient or poor hotel rates. Prevent it: bring 20-30% more cash than you expect and keep an emergency reserve.