Ice Cream in Santiago de Cuba: A Pricey Treat Beyond the Reach of Many

A video posted by Cuban resident Yannelis Martínez Yero shows how an order of ice cream in Santiago de Cuba turned out far more expensive than expected. She said her family estimated the cost using official state prices, with each scoop assumed to cost 45 pesos based on a prior purchase. Instead, the order from a private micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (mipyme) priced each scoop at 200 pesos, leading to a total of 2,000 pesos for ten scoops. Martínez Yero questioned affordability given Cuba’s average salary, reported by ONEI as 7,354 pesos per month as of August. At that rate, one 200-peso scoop equals about 2.7% of the monthly wage. The article also cites higher prices elsewhere in Santiago, including a reportedly cheapest 600-peso option.