Cuba’s worsening electricity and internet outages are pushing remote workers out of their homes and into paid coworking spaces, with cafés, hostels, and private businesses in Havana offering workstations to professionals who need reliable connections.
According to a report by IPS Cuba, the spaces primarily serve social media managers, programmers, designers, journalists, and freelancers working for foreign companies and earning income in foreign currency. Their growth reflects the need for dependable power and internet access as the country’s energy crisis intensifies.
Havana Businesses Turn Hostels and Cafés Into Workspaces
Several businesses have adapted their operations to attract remote workers. Albero Dulce Residence, founded by Claudia Terry, charges 700 Cuban pesos (CUP) per hour ($0.76), with monthly plans reaching 80,000 CUP ($86.86). Kerida Habana charges one euro per hour ($1.08), while state micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise La Quinta SURL began testing coworking services in August at Havana’s Botanical Garden La Quinta de los Molinos, charging 500 CUP per hour ($0.54) and using renewable energy sources.
Other options include Grados Restaurant, which hosts a workspace through the Vive el Vedado community project, and Avenida Italia Coworking Café, launched with support from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.
Coworking Rates Put Reliable Internet Out of Reach for Many
The cost of using these spaces is steep compared with local wages. Cuba’s average state salary is 7,354 CUP per month ($7.98), meaning one hour at Albero Dulce costs nearly 10% of a typical monthly salary. Its 80,000-CUP monthly plan ($86.86) is almost 11 times the average state wage.
Kerida Habana’s one-euro hourly rate ($1.08) was equivalent to approximately 1,010 CUP at the informal exchange rate cited in the report.
Tourism Slump Adds Pressure on Havana Businesses
The expansion of coworking services also comes as Cuba’s tourism industry struggles. The country received 450,000 visitors between January and August 2026, down 64.4% from the same period in 2025. The decline has pushed some hostels to find additional sources of revenue.
Cuba’s new Labor Code, Law 189, which took effect in September 2026, expands regulations governing remote work. However, formal recognition of telecommuting does little to solve the practical problem of unreliable electricity and internet access.
For professionals who can afford the fees, coworking spaces offer an alternative to working through outages at home. For those dependent on state salaries, the prices remain a significant barrier.
