Moving to Cuba from Canada
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Canada to Cuba — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Canada to Cuba, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Havana averages 84°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Get free moving quotes to Cuba
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Canada to Cuba, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Canada and Cuba stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Canada performs better than Cuba across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though Cuba leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada performs better than Cuba across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Canada generally does better on employment & economy, though Cuba leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Cuba generally does better on family life, though Canada leads in life expectancy.
Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Havana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 80°/66°F (26°/19°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Havana |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Instituto de Meteorología
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Cuba. To live, work, or study long-term in Cuba, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Cuba's immigration authority.
Canada passport holder visiting Cuba
Visa Online (e-Visa)
Cuba passport holder visiting Canada
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Cuba?
With 2.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Cuba can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Canada and Cuba.
Is Cuba safe for expats?
Canada performs better than Cuba across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Cuba is 4.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada.
How is healthcare in Cuba compared to Canada?
Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 94.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Cuba, compared to 25.0 in Canada. Cuba scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Cuba compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Havana is 84°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Havana receives around 46.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Cuba?
The official language in Cuba is Spanish. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
