Practical Cuba
Electricity and Plugs in Cuba
Cuba runs on a mix of 110 volts and 220 volts at 60 hertz, with flat North American pin shapes in most places. The adapter is the easy part — the supply itself is the thing to plan around.
How it works, not what it costs — reviewed 2026-08-24.
Voltage and plug shapes
Both 110V and 220V are in service, sometimes in the same building, and outlets are not always labelled. Newer hotels and resorts more often carry 220V; older casas particulares are more often 110V. Anything you bring should be a dual-voltage charger — nearly all modern phone, camera and laptop chargers are, but check the small print on the brick rather than assuming.
Sockets take the flat parallel pins familiar from North America, and some also accept the round two-pin European shape. A universal adapter covers every case and weighs nothing.
Blackouts are the real issue
The almanac records electricity access in Cuba as 100% (2022 est.) — but connection and supply are not the same thing. Scheduled outages, known as apagones, have been a regular feature of daily life, and they can run for hours at a stretch outside the main tourist resorts.
Larger hotels run generators and will keep the lights on. Casas particulares generally do not. Plan on charging opportunistically: top everything up when power is on rather than when your battery is low.
What to bring
A high-capacity power bank is the single most useful item on this page — more useful than the adapter, because it works when the grid does not. A second one is not excessive for a long trip.
A small torch or headlamp is worth its space for the same reason, and a multi-port USB charger lets you refill several devices during a short window of power.
See also: What time is it in Cuba.
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Frequently asked questions
- What plug adapter do I need for Cuba?
- A universal adapter. Sockets commonly take flat North American pins, with round European two-pin fittings also present in places.
- Is Cuba 110V or 220V?
- Both are in service, sometimes within the same building, at 60 Hz. Use dual-voltage chargers and check the label on your charger.
- Are there power cuts in Cuba?
- Yes — scheduled outages are a regular part of daily life outside the main resorts. A power bank matters more than an adapter.