Budget/Backpacker Travel Guide: Havana

Accommodation

$15-35 per night

Casa particulares (private homestays), budget guesthouses, shared rooms in local accommodations

Food & Dining

$8-20 per day

Street food, local paladares (family restaurants), peso markets, self-prepared meals

Transportation

$3-12 per day

Public buses (guaguas), shared taxis (colectivos), walking, occasional regular taxis

Activities

$5-25 per day

Free walking tours, public beaches, plazas and street music, occasional museum entries

Eat at local peso markets and street food stalls instead of tourist restaurants (typically 60-80% cheaper)

Use public buses and shared colectivos instead of regular taxis (usually 70-90% savings on transport)

Stay in casa particulares rather than hotels for authentic experience at 40-60% lower cost

Buy bottled water and snacks from local peso stores rather than tourist shops (50-70% cheaper)

Book casa particulares directly with owners to avoid booking platform commissions (typically 10-20% savings)

Take advantage of free activities like walking Old Havana, visiting plazas, and enjoying street performances

Exchange money at official CADECA locations rather than informal exchanges to avoid scams and poor rates

Only eating in tourist-focused restaurants in Old Havana instead of local neighborhoods (typically 100-200% markup)

Taking regular taxis for all transportation instead of using public buses and colectivos (3-5x more expensive)

Not bringing enough cash and relying on credit cards which have limited acceptance and poor exchange rates

Booking accommodation only in central tourist zones instead of exploring residential neighborhoods with better value

Paying inflated prices for cigars and souvenirs in tourist shops instead of seeking local markets