Cigar Prices in Havana vs. Duty Free?

[el chino]

Greetings everyone,  my only experience of acquiring CC has been in Havana.  It seems that all La Casa del Habanos prices

are fixed.  How much difference are the prices at official La Casa del Habanos vs. Duty free shops at international airports.

My friend is stopping by Saudi Arabia next month and would like to pick some more up.  Any input or advice would be most appreciated!

[shlomo]

Prices vary all over the world depending on taxes mostly, but profit margin as well. None, from my limited experience, will be priced at or below Cuban prices on Island. Some do get closer than others and regional editions are often exclusive to the part of the world the duty free shop is located.

Cant help w SA.

[el chino]

5 hours ago, shlomo said:

Prices vary all over the world depending on taxes mostly, but profit margin as well. None, from my limited experience, will be priced at or below Cuban prices on Island. Some do get closer than others and regional editions are often exclusive to the part of the world the duty freeshop is located.

Cant help w SA.

Makes perfect sense...  I was on the island when this was announced http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/americas/cuba-cigars-us-embargo-lifted/

A week later I it was modified to 800USD worth.  I think that is the cap at the moment.  I was ready to donate all my clothes and personal belongings when I heard that, lol.

 

[PaulP]

48 minutes ago, el chino said:

Makes perfect sense...  I was on the island when this was announced http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/americas/cuba-cigars-us-embargo-lifted/

A week later I it was modified to 800USD worth.  I think that is the cap at the moment.  I was ready to donate all my clothes and personal belongings when I heard that, lol.

 

The rule is $800 or 100 cigars duty free.  Quantities over that pay duty.

[Goose]

I travel through Jeddah for work and the Duty Free there does not sell tobacco - Maybe Riyadh would have some. 

[Ethernut]

I personally wouldn't buy significant quantities in Havana or Duty Free. (Unless regionals are a primary focus) FOH has more competitive pricing, if price is in fact a major deciding factor in the buying equation. Cheers!

[Ryan]

On 11/23/2016 at 7:21 PM, el chino said:

Greetings everyone,  my only experience of acquiring CC has been in Havana.  It seems that all La Casa del Habanos prices

are fixed.  How much difference are the prices at official La Casa del Habanos vs. Duty free shops at international airports.

My friend is stopping by Saudi Arabia next month and would like to pick some more up.  Any input or advice would be most appreciated!

I got in touch this morning with a friend who has a cigar store in Riyadh. He says simply, "Saudi Arabia is NOT really a cigar friendly country". There's a place in Jeddah he says he can recommend.

There's a VIP lounge in his shop. If you trust your friend I can get him a number to enter the private members area.

It depends where in Saudi your friend is going.

[Morgan]

On 11/23/2016 at 9:44 PM, PaulP said:

The rule is $800 or 100 cigars duty free.  Quantities over that pay duty.

How much or what is the duty rate when bringing in over $800?

[Morgan]

4 minutes ago, Morgan said:

How much or what is the duty rate when bringing in over $800?

I found the answer to my question. The duty rate is 4% for amounts over $800/100 cigars which seems quite reasonable.

[PapaDisco]

El C,

All of the Duty Free shops I window shop in Asia (Hong Kong, KL, Singapore, Taiwan, Jakarta, Tokyo, London) are very expensive.  I only cruise these to kill time, or if I'm in desperate need of a business gift.  Once in a blue moon I'll find something 5+years or older and then then extra $$ can kinda, sorta make some sense but otherwise I fail to see the "Duty Free" in Duty Free.  Sheesh the cigars in HKG Duty Free are the same prices as on the island.

Supposedly there are some well priced spots in the world, I need to route my plane changes through Andorra or Spain or Gibraltar I guess!  

[ChefBoyRG54]

El C,

All of the Duty Free shops I window shop in Asia (Hong Kong, KL, Singapore, Taiwan, Jakarta, Tokyo, London) are very expensive.  I only cruise these to kill time, or if I'm in desperate need of a business gift.  Once in a blue moon I'll find something 5+years or older and then then extra $$ can kinda, sorta make some sense but otherwise I fail to see the "Duty Free" in Duty Free.  Sheesh the cigars in HKG Duty Free are the same prices as on the island.

Supposedly there are some well priced spots in the world, I need to route my plane changes through Andorra or Spain or Gibraltar I guess!  

Hahaha i was just in Hong Kong, Toronto, and Beijing saying the same thing. LCDH Hong Kong was cheaper than HKG duty free!

[Bohn007]

13 hours ago, Ethernut said:

I personally wouldn't buy significant quantities in Havana or Duty Free. (Unless regionals are a primary focus) FOH has more competitive pricing, if price is in fact a major deciding factor in the buying equation. Cheers!

I thought that the state prices were lower than anywhere. I saw a price list a month or two ago for Cuba and it was lower than anywhere?

[Ethernut]

3 minutes ago, Bohn007 said:

I thought that the state prices were lower than anywhere. I saw a price list a month or two ago for Cuba and it was lower than anywhere?

I didn't find that to be the case. For instance I bought some singles of HDM Petit Robusto for immediate consumption for 8.80 in Havana LCDH. From the previous 24:24 late last week they were $6.30.

Boxes didn't look less expensive either for the stuff I buy..

[canadianbeaver]

I have never been to Cuba and to be perfectly honest, my list of travel place dreams does not include it. (Hiding my head here in shame).

One of the reasons is my suppliers of cigars rates and dates specifically the cigars I am after. The prices are at least a third of what I would pay here.

Mostly, I know what I get and I usually am after something awesome.

 

 

[Corylax18]

For full box purchases, I paid very close to "state list" price. The LCDH in the Habana Libre also had their singles priced pretty well. (video just posted in another thread is from there) I don't have the actual facturas with me now, but I paid something like $56.50 CUC per 10 box of  RA Superiors, the state list calls for $53.50 CUC. I paid $78.50 for a box of PLMC's listed at $76.25. The RG Perlas I got aren't even on the state list. I did pay a bit of a premium at the counter right inside the door of Terminal 3/Jose Marti. I picked up some Hoyo Coronations and some Belinda Coronas for gifts. I think I paid around $115 CUC for 15 coronations and 6 Belindas. I did swipe a single box of AUG 13 (I think) Fonseca 1s at the Hotel Nacional LCDH for $117 CUC, they are listed at $125 CUC. I didn't take the time to price check alot of the hotter commodities, like Cohiba, but from what I looked at Montecristo prices were very close to "list" across the board.

[SaintMickey®]

39 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

For full box purchases, I paid very close to "state list" price. The LCDH in the Habana Libre also had their singles priced pretty well. (video just posted in another thread is from there)....

 

 

 

[SaintMickey®]

39 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

For full box purchases, I paid very close to "state list" price. The LCDH in the Habana Libre also had their singles priced pretty well. (video just posted in another thread is from there)....