Budget · Havana · Cuba
Havana on a budget
What a trip to Havana really costs, and where the savings are.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
Quick answer
Havana is moderately priced for most international visitors. Budget roughly $50–$90 per person per day on a tight budget, $110–$220 mid-range and $300–$650 for luxury, excluding flights. Hotel prices are usually lowest in September.
Key facts
- Budget traveller
- $50–$90 a day
- Mid-range
- $110–$220 a day
- Luxury
- $300–$650 a day
- Local currency
- CUP
- Free sights
- 8
Daily budget and trip cost
AMZBooking estimates per person in US dollars, excluding flights, reviewed October 2026. Accommodation is the biggest variable; prices rise in peak months.
| Style | Per day | 3 days | 5 days | 7 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | $50–$90 | $150–$270 | $250–$450 | $350–$630 |
| Mid-range | $110–$220 | $330–$660 | $550–$1,100 | $770–$1,540 |
| Luxury | $300–$650 | $900–$1,950 | $1,500–$3,250 | $2,100–$4,550 |
Typical prices
Approximate prices in Havana, October 2026. They change; use them for planning, not as quotes.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Room in a casa particular | about US$30–US$60 per night |
| Casa breakfast | about US$5–US$8 |
| Main course at a paladar | about US$10–US$25 |
| Mojito in an Old Havana bar | about US$4–US$8 |
| Classic-car tour, one hour per car | about US$40–US$60 |
| Taxi from the airport to Old Havana | about US$25–US$35 |
| Museum entry | about US$3–US$10 |
Money-saving tips
- Cash is used for most transactions and card acceptance is limited; check current guidance on currency and exchange before travelling, as arrangements change often.
- Bring small denominations; change for large notes is often hard to find.
- Casas particulares are usually better value than hotels and include local knowledge from your hosts.
- Agree taxi and tour prices before setting off, and ask your host about fair rates.
- Shared almendrón taxis on fixed routes cost a fraction of private taxis.
- May, June, September and October bring the lowest prices for rooms.
Free things to do
- Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral — The baroque Catedral de San Cristóbal, with its asymmetrical towers and curving coral-stone façade, faces a cobbled square framed by 18th-century palaces.
- Plaza Vieja — Restored mansions with stained-glass fanlights and arcades surround this broad 16th-century square, which once held the city's market.
- Malecón — The 8-km seawall and boulevard runs from the harbour mouth west to the Almendares River, past weathered façades in Centro Habana and the Hotel Nacional.
- Plaza de la Revolución — The vast square is overlooked by the José Martí Memorial, a tall star-shaped tower with a museum at its base, and by steel outlines of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos on government buildings.
- Plaza de Armas — Havana's oldest square is shaded by palms and ringed by second-hand book stalls.
- Plaza de San Francisco de Asís — Facing the harbour, this square is dominated by the Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asís, a former convent now used for concerts, and the Lonja del Comercio, an old commodities exchange.
Where to stay on a budget
$ · Best for budget, solo travellers and culture
Centro Habana
Dense residential blocks between Old Havana and Vedado, with the Malecón on one side
$$ · Best for nightlife, food lovers, couples and first-timers
Vedado
Leafy 20th-century district of mansions, hotels, Coppelia and music clubs
$ · Best for quiet stays and budget
Cojímar
Small fishing village east of the harbour tunnel linked to Hemingway
Eating well for less
- Tostones — Restaurants and street stalls throughout the city.
Getting around for less
Old Havana is best explored on foot, and the walk along the Malecón links it with Centro Habana and Vedado. For longer hops, visitors use official taxis, shared collective taxis (almendrones) on fixed routes, bici-taxis and cocotaxis. City buses are crowded and hard to navigate for newcomers.
Questions travellers ask
+How much does a trip to Havana cost?
About $550–$1,100 per person for five days mid-range, excluding flights (estimate), or $250–$450 on a tight budget.
+Is Havana expensive?
It is moderately priced for international visitors. Cash is used for most transactions and card acceptance is limited; check current guidance on currency and exchange before travelling, as arrangements change often.
+How much money do I need per day in Havana?
Roughly $50–$90 on a budget and $110–$220 mid-range (estimates).
+When are hotel prices lowest in Havana?
Usually in September.