Using Credit and Debit Cards

Credit Cards and Debit cards

CREDIT CARDS

VISA and MASTERCARD credit cards are accepted as long as they have not been issued by U.S. banks or their affiliates. With both cards you can withdraw money in Banks, CADECAs and ATMs as well as make purchases in many state-run places.

Be sure to verify beforehand with your provider that your card is not associated with a U.S. financial institution, and can be used in Cuba.

Using a credit card in Cuba as a form of payment
In recent years (especially since 2020), electronic payments have become much more common in Cuba. International non-US credit cards can be used in most state-run places, including:
• Hotels and all-inclusive resorts
• State-own bars and restaurants
• Travel agencies and tour operators (excursions)
• Car/motorbike rental offices
• Airport shops and cafés
• Medical facilities
• MLC stores (more on MLC shops here)
...among others

Outside of the state sector and in more remote areas, Cuba is still mainly a cash economy, don’t just rely on being able to use credit cards or ATMs, bring plenty of cash (preferably small bills) to avoid setbacks. Electronic payments are usually not possible in casas particulares (guesthouses), paladares (privately own restaurants), open-air markets, handicraft kiosks, smaller restaurants and hotels, street vendors, and many other places off the beaten path.

Using a credit card for cash withdraws
You can normally use a VISA or MASTERCARD branded card (with a PIN number) to withdraw cash in automated teller machines (ATMs), Cuban Pesos (CUP) only. More on ATMs below. You can also withdraw money (cash advance) in banks and CADECAS (Casas de Cambio), but remember that your card provider will charge interest from the day of the transaction, so you may want to make cash advance transactions only in emergency situations.

Prepaid MLC cards
If you don’t own a credit card (or only own cards issued by a US bank), you can get a MLC card. These cards are mostly used by Cubans, but in June 2021 the Cuban government launched a MLC card exclusively available to foreign visitors. They can be obtained from: Banco de Crédito y Comercio (BANDEC) and CADECAs (Casas de Cambio, the official government’s currency exchange house). They cost $5 USD and come in denominations of $50, $100, $200, $500, and $1000 USD. They cannot be purchased with USD, only with other foreign currencies (MLC: Moneda Libremente Convertible) accepted by the Central Bank of Cuba (EUR, CAD, GBP, MXN, CHF, JPY). Prepaid MLC cards can only be used in the Cuban territory and they expire after 2 years. When the amount loaded on the card is exhausted, it will stop working until it is reloaded again. Learn more about Prepaid MLC card for tourists in the official Cuba tourist portal and CADECA website.

ATM AND DEBIT CARDS
More and more ATMs can be found in Cuba but they are still mostly available in large cities and tourist areas. Only Cuban Pesos (CUP) can be withdrawn from ATMs. They should work for Visa and Mastercard affiliated debit and credit cards. You will need a pin number for your card to be able to use the ATMs. Again, make sure to verify that your card provider is not associated with a US financial institution. Some ATMs may not be offering the new exchange rate of 120CUP=1USD, verify before accepting the transaction. Don’t just rely on being able to use ATMs to get CUPs. It happens regularly that ATMs run out of money or are out of order, or simply won't accept your card for reasons unknown.

Note that there’s no ATM in Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Paredon and Cayo Cruz.

Everything related to money can change quickly and often in Cuba, always check the current situation, rules and regulations before you go.

Money in Cuba Where to exchange currencies