A bag of charcoal can absorb 155% of Cuba's minimum wage

In Cuba, the price of charcoal for cooking can exceed the minimum monthly income: Food Monitor Program calculates that the most expensive sack reaches 5,000 pesos, equivalent to 155% of the 3,210-peso minimum wage established in July 2026. The organization places sack prices between 2,000 and 5,000 pesos, equivalent to $2.19 to $5.46 on the informal market.

For households buying smaller quantities, a small plastic bag costs about 600 pesos but contains enough for only a few meals, the organization says. The lower initial expense therefore requires frequent returns to the market. Energy costs are added to those of products such as rice, beans, oil and eggs, whose prices have also risen, according to the organization.

Pressure increases for people without liquefied gas or stable electricity. During service interruptions, firewood and charcoal become alternatives for preparing food. In its 2025 National Food Security Survey, Food Monitor Program recorded that 35% of participants used one of those fuels because electricity and gas were unavailable.

The same survey found that 80.4% had difficulty cooking because of power outages. The results were published in May 2026. The study addressed both the use of fuels when services were unavailable and the obstacles to preparing meals during electricity interruptions.

According to the organization, the final cost is also connected with conditions for obtaining wood. Food Monitor Program says some areas containing marabú and aroma, species used to make charcoal, remain under state control. Small producers who cannot obtain plots directly must pay owners or intermediaries to use them, adding costs to the product's sale.

Food Monitor Program also provides a figure for Cuban exports: the country ranked ninth worldwide in charcoal sales in 2023, with revenue of $61.8 million. That amount concerns foreign trade in the product and is separate from the prices the organization reports for buyers on the island.