Why are the rental prices so high when the direct wages are so low in Cuba ?
The legally registered house owners must pay a relatively expensive license monthly license fee to the Cuban government and more importantly, these fee are fixed. The fee remains the same every month, even if the owner has had few, or no clients at all. The license fee may vary from as low as $100.00 CUC and as expensive as $250.00 CUC per month for each bedroom that is declared for rent. The difference of this fee lies in the area where the accommodation is located. Special fees are added in cases where the apartment is left completely at the client´s disposal or when meals are legally offered. In addition, at the end of the year, every house owner must declare the “income tax” and refund an additional fee to the government for this economic activity. Every legally registered house owner have a book where they record every reservation made, and the corresponding price paid. This way the house owners are forced to increase the prices to make sure they have enough funds to pay the licen
