The PayPulse 2025 study, conducted by the Caribbean Society of Human Resource Professionals, has found that most Jamaicans are left with just four per cent of their monthly salaries after paying statutory deductions and covering basic living expenses.
The study says once workers pay their bills, very little remains for savings or discretionary spending.
The index measures the relationship between the average monthly salary earned by a worker and average monthly expenses for essential items.
An index score of 100 per cent means income equals expenses. A score above 100 indicates a surplus, while anything below 100 signals a deficit.
Jamaica recorded a score of 103.95 per cent, meaning the average worker has just four per cent of income left after meeting basic monthly costs.
Although Jamaica's score falls within the affordable range, it lags far behind other Caribbean countries. Belize recorded an average affordability score of 234 per cent, followed by St. Kitts at 138.6 per cent, and Grenada at 136.6 per cent.
Research Coordinator Khayla Hamilton said the data was sourced from official national statistics in the countries surveyed by the Caribbean Society of Human Resource Professionals.
She added that while affordability remains a challenge in Jamaica, concerns about salary competitiveness further compound the issue.
Hamilton noted that fewer than half of respondents in Jamaica, Belize and St. Kitts said their salaries meet the regional average, highlighting broader wage pressures across the Caribbean.
comments powered by Disqus
All feeds
