Changing Cuban cucs back to American Dollars

Is it possible to change Cuban Cucs back to American Dollars? Looking (aside from tour), to buy Cuban Coffee and Cuban Rum. Anyone have any idea approx costs and how difficult to exchange money back. Also, do they take American Dollars?

There is a money exchange right at the pier and it's easy to change $ into CUC's and change back into $ However, there is a 13% charge, so $100 will get you 87 CUC's and changing them back to $ will again involve a 13% fee. They win both ways.

Some shops at the pier take American $ but most stores outside of the pier want CUC's.

Easy as stated above. Also - I believe that they do not change back any coins. We had a bit of Cuban $$ left and purchased a few items from the souvenir stands in the terminal. I turned the coins into fridge magnets.

enjoy

M

We found many Cuban vendors would take US dollars no problem, don’t exchange too much, just do it as needed

Agree exchange CUC’s at the terminal before boarding.

Tip. Use Euros instead of USD if you can, to exchange for CUCs. Better rate and no fee.

Agree exchange CUC’s at the terminal before boarding.

 

Tip. Use Euros instead of USD if you can, to exchange for CUCs. Better rate and no fee.

that only works if you get a good exchange rate.

BTW, the re-conversion back to $$ does not have the 10% fee on it. Just the 3%

So there's a 13% fee to convert US$ into CUC and 3% to convert CUC to US$.

When I've done the math to use either Euros or CND$, the extra conversions to either didn't help that much. (Both Euro and CND$ do not have the 10% fee for conversion).

It's not a bad idea to convert to CUCs, while there are some places that do accept US$, you risk NOT being able to convert at the place that you really want to get stuff.

There is a money exchange right at the pier and it's easy to change $ into CUC's and change back into $ However, there is a 13% charge, so $100 will get you 87 CUC's and changing them back to $ will again involve a 13% fee. They win both ways.

 

Some shops at the pier take American $ but most stores outside of the pier want CUC's.

50% correct, 50% wrong. The exchange rate is 3% to exchange to CUC, and 3% to exchange back to USD. There is a separate fee, 10% to handle USD. The 10% is only charged for exchanging USD to CUC. The reason is, they have extra issues to overcome handling USD currency, and giving it back is easy, so no need for the extra fee. They are happy to give back USD.

The exchange rate for other currencies is also 3%. But other currencies are not tagged with the 10% penalty. Now, if you exchange USD for EUR, than go to CUC, and are only exchanging $150.00, more likely, your savings would be a few dollars at most.

Many places will take USD, away from the pier, deep in the city. They will do the math, and calculate it, and hopefully, you have also, to verify the same number. The reality is, they don't want to turn you always. This is a country where income is $20.00 - $120.00 per month, and the meal they are selling you is sometimes 50% of an average persons paycheck. They want the money.

There is a money exchange right at the pier and it's easy to change $ into CUC's and change back into $ However, there is a 13% charge, so $100 will get you 87 CUC's and changing them back to $ will again involve a 13% fee. They win both ways.

 

Some shops at the pier take American $ but most stores outside of the pier want CUC's.

Thanks for the info.