A Cuban woman residing abroad, who returned to the island after more than five years, shared her surprising experience on Facebook. During her visit, she ended up spending approximately 16,500 Cuban pesos on red onions and cilantro, without inquiring about the price beforehand.
Content creator Yisle Blogs narrated how her family had begun making tamales after acquiring corn in Santiago de Cuba. To complete the recipe, they needed onions and cilantro. When she went searching, a vendor warned her against it: "Girl, don't bother looking for onions because here in Cuba, until December, who knows, there are no onions."
Undeterred, Yisle continued her search until she found a stall with small, familiar red onions. Without checking the price, she requested a bag filled with all the onions available and added the ten small bundles of cilantro on sale: "Put all those onions in a bag and give me all the cilantro you have there because I'm going to share with the family."
When the vendor announced the total, Yisle was taken aback. "When he told me: '16,000 and something.' I was stunned," she recalled. Once home, her grandmother's inquiry about the expense led to what Yisle described as "a scandal."
Estimating roughly, Yisle figured each onion cost between 400 and 500 pesos. "People can't cook with onions, girl. It's crazy, it's absolutely crazy," she noted. Her father later explained that these were supposedly imported onions, which might account for the steep price amid a scarcity of the product.
Many acknowledged that onions are no longer part of their regular meals. "In Cuba, we're relying on scallions, peppers, and cumin, and lots and lots of magic powders," commented one user.
Yisle concluded her tale with a telling remark: "I came back with my 16,500 pesos very pleased with my purchase, and they wanted to kill me."
The official price for onions at fairs in Havana was set at 180 pesos per pound last September, but in reality, buyers reported paying between 1,500 and 1,800 pesos per pound in the capital. In other provinces, onion prices have outraged those trying to cook with this staple ingredient: in Santa Clara, reports indicated prices between 1,000 and 1,500 pesos per onion; in Camagüey, between 500 and 800 pesos per onion; in Alquízar, Artemisa, up to 1,500 pesos for a single white onion.
The surge in food prices is not an isolated issue. The official annual inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages reached 42.66% in September 2026, with this category accounting for nearly three-quarters of the monthly change in the consumer price index. In this scenario, the 16,500 pesos Yisle spent on onions and cilantro equates to over five minimum monthly salaries, set at 3,210 pesos since July.
Understanding the Price Surge of Onions in Cuba
Why are onion prices so high in Cuba?
Onion prices in Cuba have soared due to a combination of scarcity and inflation. The lack of locally available onions has led to reliance on imported onions, which come at a higher cost.
How does the onion price compare to the average salary?
The 16,500 pesos spent on onions and cilantro is equivalent to over five times the minimum monthly salary in Cuba, which is set at 3,210 pesos.
What alternatives are Cubans using instead of onions?
With high onion prices, many Cubans are turning to alternatives such as scallions, peppers, and cumin to flavor their dishes.