A resident of Havana, identified as Ailaht Leyet, sparked a social media storm on Sunday by sharing her husband’s fruitless search for cooking oil across the city. Eventually, a stranger pointed him to a source where the exorbitant price was set at 4,000 pesos per liter. This revelation triggered a flood of responses from Cubans who confirmed similar or even higher prices in their local areas.
"Where are we headed, folks? Today, we ran out of oil at home. My husband went out to buy some and couldn't find it anywhere. He met a woman on the street carrying some in a bag and asked where she got it. When he arrived at the location, it was 4,000 pesos. What on earth is this?" Leyet wrote, sharing a selfie of herself holding a bottle of refined sunflower oil branded YEYA.
With a blend of resignation and dark humor, Leyet summed up the dire situation: "Well, now we have to save it more than ever. I have to laugh because what else can we do? Just a little capful, and I think that's too much."
The Soaring Cost of Oil
In the comments section, several users confirmed that prices have already surpassed this threshold in their regions. Yulieski Marrero Yero and Regla González reported prices of 5,000 pesos per liter in their areas, to which Leyet responded, "I believe you because we can expect anything now."
Miyaray Driggs Robert highlighted the harsh reality: "My entire salary has to go towards buying oil, and what will I eat, oil? I can't afford anything else. It's up to 5,000, and this won't stop."
Another commenter, Mongui Ramírez, directly blamed the government: "It's the State's fault for not capping these prices." Leyet concluded with a phrase encapsulating the collective exhaustion: "They're driving us insane little by little. It's stress, anxiety, depression, and all that follows."
Historical Price Surge
The timeline of price hikes is dizzying: in April, a liter cost about 1,500 pesos; by June, it had risen to 2,000; on July 22, it reached 2,500 pesos in Havana; on July 24, it jumped from 2,000 to 3,000 in Sancti Spíritus in less than 24 hours; by August 1, Odelkis Nápoles reported that there was no stopping the increase; and by Sunday, Leyet's account set the ceiling at 4,000 pesos, with some areas reporting 5,000.
The figures are not an exaggeration: the minimum wage in the budgeted sector has been set at 3,210 pesos per month since July 1, 2026, which equates to less than five dollars at the informal exchange rate—insufficient to purchase even one liter of oil on the informal market.
Regulatory Shifts and Economic Strain
The price surge has a clear regulatory trigger: Resolution 150/2026 from the Ministry of Finance and Prices, published on June 20, 2026, which removed price caps on imported edible oils, lifting the previous limit of 990 pesos per liter.
Economists estimate that an individual requires around 96,060 pesos per month to meet basic needs, with the majority allocated to food.
Understanding the Oil Crisis in Cuba
Why are oil prices so high in Cuba?
The removal of price caps on imported edible oils by Resolution 150/2026 has led to an uncontrolled rise in oil prices, exacerbated by economic instability and inflation.
How are Cubans coping with high oil prices?
Many Cubans are struggling to afford basic necessities, with some resorting to using oil sparingly or seeking alternative sources, as their salaries are insufficient to cover such high costs.
What is the impact of the oil price surge on the Cuban economy?
The rise in oil prices is contributing to increased economic hardship, as it places additional pressure on household budgets and limits access to essential goods.