Food in Cuba is sold on vouchers in peso stores

Basic necessities are rationed in Cuba and are for sale with a

food card (libreta) in a peso store

The official currency in Cuba for the Cubans is the peso

A blackboard in the shop shows which street can buy meat etc. that day

All Cubans receive very low wages (average € 15 per month) and

old people get less

There are free cultural and educational facilities and medical care

The cost of housing, water , electricity and public transport

are heavily subsidized

Besides the peso shops you also have supermarkets / stores where you can pay only with CUC`s

There is an extensive assortment but even there we saw

rows of empty shelves

Department Store in Santa Clara 's where you could pay only with CUC `s

The first ATM we saw was in Santiago de Cuba

In Cuba you can`t get any money from an ATM and you have to bring

everything you need in cash

We saw this year for the first time (and we have been around throughout Cuba)

a ATM in Santiago de Cuba

Unfortunately, this was only to be used by Cubans and

not yet suitable for foreigners

Hopefully that will change soon