The Pearl of the Caribbean
The climate is pleasant, in Cuba the sun shines 330 days a year. It rarely gets colder than 20°C, but the rainy season lasts from May to October – with only 60 rainy days a year and 7 to 10 hours of sunshine per day! The water temperatures also invite you to swim all year round: they are constantly between 25 and 28 degrees. What sounds like paradise to us is everyday life for Cubans. Today more than 11 million people live on the largest island in the Caribbean, one fifth of them in the capital Havana. Do you know anyone who lives in Cuba? Make your friends happy today: Send money to Cuba, quick and easy with sendvalu .
Like all major cities in Cuba, Havana consists largely of colonial buildings. Over the years, however, many houses have lost their former splendour – about 50% of the buildings are even in danger of collapsing. Thanks to the income from the flourishing tourism sector, many colonial buildings can be extensively restored. Around a quarter of Havana’s old town is already shining in new splendour. And you can support this magical metropolis and its inhabitants with your money transfer as well – because sending money to Havana via sendvalu is so easy!
Everyday luxury – for many a dream
In addition to tourism, Cuba is known above all for the cultivation of sugar cane and tobacco plants. The famous Cuban cigars made from the best tobacco in the world are also in great demand abroad. And the best rum? Of course it comes from Havana!
Despite Cuban export hits and booming tourism, however, many Cubans live on the subsistence level. Many things that are everyday for us are a real luxury in Cuba. For example, private Internet access. Only a few Cubans can afford Internet access, the network is only rudimentarily developed. In few cities there is Internet – and often only outside, in public places with WLAN hotspots. This can be seen immediately from the crowds of people using smartphones, tablets or laptops. In order to be able to use WLAN, however, you first have to buy an Internet card. This costs about 2 dollar for an hour – but the average income in Cuba is about 31 dollar a month. Many Cubans receive support from friends and family abroad. Unfortunately, a conventional bank transfer to Cuba often takes a long time and is very expensive. However, the money transfer via sendvalu is much faster and up to 90% cheaper. Just try it yourself – here you can send money to Cuba.
Free education and medical care
Life in Cuba is expensive. But Cubans don’t have to worry about a good education or medical care: from primary school to university, education is free, and health care is free for every Cuban inhabitant. The health system is exemplary: infant mortality in Cuba is lower than in the USA. As far as school education is concerned, almost everyone in Cuba can read and write: Illiteracy is not an issue in Cuba. English is now a compulsory subject – unlike in other Central American countries, tourists can talk to the locals on the spot more and more as a matter of course.
The tourism industry – the mainstay of Cuba
Although the education system in Cuba is among the best in Latin America, many Cubans work in the tourism sector despite their good education. The tips alone are many times the average Cuban salary. A doctor earns about 50 dollar per month, a policeman 40 dollar and a teacher 20 dollar on average. Cubans who rent rooms to tourists charge the equivalent of 25 to 33 dollar per night – more than a teacher earns in the whole month. It is therefore not unusual for doctors and teachers to leave their actual profession and work as city guides or taxi drivers. Many other locals rent rooms or work in restaurants. Tourism is the most important source of income in Cuba and vital for the survival of the island.
You have rented an apartment or a room in Cuba and would like to pay the host via credit card or immediate transfer? You can also use sendvalu for this. If you send money to your host’s AIS debit card via sendvalu, it will usually be credited within 24 hours. Find out here about the advantages of the AIS debit card – so popular in Cuba – and now send money to Cuba, which will be with the recipient within a very short time.
A simple life
Consumer goods are expensive, supermarket shelves often empty. Nobody can make big leaps in Cuba – new vehicles and electronic devices have to be imported and quickly exceed a Cuban annual salary. For comparison: with an average monthly income of 31 dollar, you have to save in Cuba for a new pair of jeans, which costs about 40 dollar. An own Internet connection, a new car (most Cubans do not have a car), a home of their own or a vacation on the beach are unaffordable for the majority of locals. That is why it is so important to support friends and family in Cuba. From the money that is sent to the island from abroad, most Cubans can build a comfortable but modest life. It is cheap and fast to send money to Cuba with sendvalu – support your friends today!
Transfer money to Cuba – easily with sendvalu
Do you know someone in Cuba who needs spare parts for his car, wants to have more access to the Internet or wants to fulfill a bigger wish? With sendvalu you can do something good for your friends quickly and easily: send money to Cuba now, online to one of 456 nationwide cash pickup locations or to an AIS card. For a particularly fast transfer, we recommend transferring money to an AIS debit card – one of the most common means of payment in Cuba. Usually the money is credited to the recipient’s AIS card within 24 hours on weekdays. So you can also send money at short notice that is guaranteed to arrive! By comparison, standard bank transfers to Cuba usually take several weeks.
How does the transfer to an AIS card work?
The AIS card is a debit card and a very popular means of payment in Cuba. Every Cuban over the age of 16 can have an AIS card issued free of charge – use and recharging are also 100 percent free!
An AIS card can be used in Cuba to withdraw cash at ATMs, banks or in Cadecas (exchange offices), and is recognised as a means of payment in many shops.
The AIS card is the fastest way to send money to Cuba. Transactions are usually credited to the recipient’s AIS card within 24 hours on weekdays. If your recipient does not yet have an AIS debit card, you can have a free card created via sendvalu. Convenient: After the AIS card has been issued and collected, you can quickly and securely have all further money transfers to your recipient in Cuba credited to this card at any time.
Note that new customers may require verification, which may slightly increase transfer times.
What other ways are there to send money to Cuba?
If your recipient does not have a Cuban bank account or an AIS card, you can deposit money via credit card that your recipient can withdraw locally. You can also send money to recipients who are in Cuba but are not citizens (e.g. tourists). The money can be withdrawn in cash at one of more than 456 payment points. You can view all payout points via our Location Finder.
Please note that transfers from Cuba to Cuba are unfortunately not possible. Due to Cuban regulations you may send your recipient a maximum of 10,000 CUC (approx. 9,732 dollar) per month.
Your money will be paid out in cash to the recipient within 3-10 working days. If you want to send money faster, we recommend the transaction to an AIS card.
These are your advantages at sendvalu
With sendvalu you can transfer money to Cuba quickly, safely and comfortably. Your money transfer via sendvalu is up to 90 % cheaper than many regular bank transfers to Cuba, because we can offer especially favorable fees and exchange rates.
- 100% secure: Pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, JCB), Pay Now, Nordea (for transfers from Finland) or iDEAL (from the Netherlands) with the highest licensed security standards.
- Cheap: Save cash on your money transfers with real-time exchange rates and fair, low fees.
- Convenient: Complete your transaction online in minutes.
If you have questions about your money transfer, you can always contact our support team – we will be happy to help you!
You like to help, too? Then follow this link: Send money to family and friends in Cuba
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