How expensive?

19? Well that explains the rose-colored glasses.

I hope your fren is all that he appears to be and that there actually is a University "some University outside of Holguin".

It might help to assist you if you would tell us what website your are talking about. I'm not sure why you have been reluctant to mention it thus far.

mrbeall:

Considering some of the naive comments in your first post--"a whole island of alluring culture thats been cut off from the United States for the last 50 years" has got to be one of the funniest things I have read on this branch in some time---you have gotten minimal ridicule and some pretty solid advice from posters who range all across the socio/political tourist spectrum. I would strongly recommend that you re-read the posts of Yorgos (#8) and ttjpdo (#16) as they probably have the best grasp of how to do Cuba on a budget without becoming a social parasite.

An experienced budget traveler can do Cuba cheaper on a first trip than $65-75CUC. But at 19 I doubt you are there yet. The peso economy will not be your economic saviour and your yet to be met Cuban friend could very well become a financial millstone. Take at least 50% more than you have budgeted because the last thing you want to do is run out of money in rural Cuba. Good luck

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<hr>Compared with other Latin American countries how expensive is Cuba? Lodging, food, travel ect.... is [possible] to go there on a budget.<hr></blockquote>
That was the OP's question. Only ttjpdo attempted to answer the question. Whether something is 'expensive' or 'cheap' to Someone is entirely subjective and therefore meaningless unless some context - namely PRICES - is provided. Several posters get half-credit, but can anyone else compare prices or budgets for Cuba & other Latin American countries, as the OP requested?

Rough estimates are sufficient. Approx. Dollar (Euro) costs per day work, too. I read "budget" as THE CHEAP, but maybe cost-sensitive independent travelers can afford €55./day? For backpackers, Cuba is __ (2X more?) more/less expensive than Mexico or Panama, Guatemala, Brazil, Argentina, etc. ?

I suspect that Cuba is just 'more expensive' than Central American destinations. (Not certain; havent been to C-A since the late 1980s.) But I think Cuba is NOT expensive for the CARIBBEAN. Most importantly, its not as cheap as potential travelers think, imagine or hope: take more money, just like everyone sez!

p.s. gray, that was a slam on the cheapskate Dutch, I presume LOL. Augustus was Lithuanian!

"... I'm meeting him about halfway through in Holguin, and he's only spending about a week with me in Holguin and Santiago (where he has people HE can stay with, rather than with us in the CP)..."

mrbeall, I hope you're not assuming a "Cuban director of psychology studies at some university" is going to travel with you for free, just because you're a cool guy, and he digs foreigners. He's entitled to a daily guide fee, and you (of course) will be taking care of all his expenses. That's going to add up to some $$$.

Cheers,
Terry

"Several posters get half-credit, but can anyone else compare prices or budgets for Cuba & other Latin American countries, as the OP requested? "
Bolivia 12-15 euros per day, Peru 20-25, Mexico about the same (but buses add upt here), Nicaragua 15, Guatemala the same, Panama about 20-25. Cuba should be around 40-50 euros per day for an experienced budget traveler who visits it for the first time and shares a room with a friend.
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<hr>surely under 100 usd/day?<hr></blockquote>
Well, yes. It is not very easy to spend 100usd per day unless you try to to splurge, especially when you are sharing a room.
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<hr>Somebody above mentioned that the reason peso bars, clubs, etc are not worth it... is because of the time issue<hr></blockquote>
No, these things have no time problem. CUP transport is that demands a great deal of time, which you do not have.
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<hr>We are considering swiming with the dolphins in Guardelavaca (sp?), and going to the Tropicana in Santiago. Both of these I have invited my Cuban friend<hr></blockquote>
Remember that each of these items will cost you more than your daily budget.

Thank you, Yorgos.

Daily travel expense in Cuba is two- to three-times MORE EXPENSIVE than other Latin American countries. (Hard to believe that Bolivia & Nicaragua are THAT cheap, but I find your information has always been superior.)

Would you say that Cuba is nearly HALF as expensive as some Caribbean destinations, or 'among the cheapest' that tourists might visit?

I think the TripAdvisor site is so-so, but admit never using the Cuba forums. At quick glance, it seems very oriented to A-I 'suburban Canadian' types: no harm in that, but should a BACKPACKER rely on a package holiday-goer's advice?? (Is that like Debbie's - someone mentions Debbies & I have NO IDEA what that forum is like.) I also presume 'voyhabana' is the avatar referred to above, fwiw.

Very much doubt that TripAdvisor site provides any extraordinary insights into 'cheap Cuba travel.' Do others disagree?

#20... the website I was talking about is www.hospitalityclub.org.<BR><BR>Like I said, he's had quite a number of students travel and visit him... and not only have they left positive comments on his profile, (it sort of works like ebay)... but I've also talked to a few of them online and they've all said he was a pleasure and huge convenience to have during their stay. They did mention that if I plan to do expensive touristy things while I'm there... then I cannot expect him to attend with me. However two of the people I talked to specifically said he was not pushy... and even footed his own bill in a lot of the peso bars. At the same time, after telling him that I wanted to go swim with the dolphins in the Bay of Naranjo... he at first refused to go, and said he could arrange transportation there but that we should go alone... because he didn't want us to have to spend so much money on him.

I forget the name of the university he works at... but I do remember looking into it after he told me the name once, and it is an actual legitimate uni... this is why he has such good access to the internet... and last time I talked to him he was very busy preparing for his student's final exams.

Like I said, I have developed a sort of trust in him. It could very well be that this is dumbfounded and I'll end up getting screwed financially... but I do believe his heart is in the right place.

#21... thank you for the advice, your comments as well as the comments you mentioned, have convinced me to take more money than I had initially planned. I have done a lot of budget travel in Italy, France, Spain, the UK, and Australia... but never anywhere like Cuba. Yes, I am new to this.

And #26... if you find Jorge on the tripadvisor forums he can answer a lot of your questions. He really did tie up a lot of loose ends, for the a lot of things work in Cuba... however he will, without a doubt, try to recommend one of his tour guides in Cuba, which cost a fortune. The activities he recommends are also a little bit more designed for the high budget travelers... so although he is very knowledgeable about things like customs, money conversion, and common cuban practices... it sort of stops short after the information.

mrbeall, it seems your e-friend WILL hang out with you for free, just because you're a cool guy, and he digs foreigners. If others have gone before you and honestly reported their experiences were so positive, let no one here tell you otherwise. I do find my Cuban own friends reliable and trustworthy - apologies if some of us sounded cynical & snarky.

Although my own friends NEVER "ask" for anything, there's an implicit expectation that we all discover sooner or later. It doesnt bother me because its a universal, the same reason that 'rich people' get so much attention (targeted) btw. OPORTUNIDAD. In the extreme cases, WildBill (spill some rum on the ground) used this old expression against aggressive, persistent street touts : "Tun-too-run-too." My friend laughed at this expression and offered another, "Yo no soy munequito, chico!"