Jamaican workers are scraping by as salaries barely cover living costs, according to a new regional survey conducted by human resource (HR) professionals.
The survey, which covers 20 Caribbean nations, shows the average monthly salary in Jamaica covers just 3.95 per cent more than basic living expenses. Put simply: Most Jamaican workers have virtually nothing left after paying for electricity, water, food, fuel, and housing.
The finding, disclosed in PayPulse 2025 — a benchmarking report by the Caribbean Society for Human Resource Professionals (CSHRP) — paints a sobering picture of economic vulnerability in Jamaica. This was the fourth year that CSHRP, a network of HR professionals across the Caribbean founded in 2019, carried out the survey. For the first time, it included an Affordability Index, measuring the ratio of average monthly salary to total monthly cost of living across electricity, water, food, fuel, and housing. An index of 100 per cent indicates that salary exactly meets living expenses. Anything above represents surplus; anything below means workers are falling behind.
Jamaica’s 103.95 per cent ranking places it in what researchers termed the “medium affordable” range — a designation that sounds neutral but masks profound financial fragility. The island ranks far behind regional leaders: Belize, which topped the affordability rankings at 234 per cent, followed by Guyana at 138.6 per cent and Grenada at 136.6 per cent.
Research coordinator Khayla Hamilton explained that monthly cost-of-living figures were sourced from official data in each country, with CSHRP “conducting its own calculations” to validate estimates.
The Wage Gap
While Jamaica struggles with affordability, salary competitiveness data reveals additional challenges. Less than half of respondents surveyed indicated that their salaries in Jamaica, Belize, and St Kitts met the regional average. Comparatively, nearly four-fifths of respondents in Antigua and Trinidad & Tobago reported meeting the average, while Guyana and St Lucia hovered at three-quarters.
The PayPulse 2025 survey drew 206 responses from 119 companies across 20 Caribbean countries. More than 60 of the participating companies were Jamaican firms.
Deputy Chairman of CSHRP Vaughn McDonald said more companies showed willingness to participate than in previous years. He suggested that employers consider variable rates of pay to increase workforce productivity.
The survey also measured salary patterns by industry, employee benefits, and hiring timelines for different positions. Lead researcher was Muhammad Waleed Akram, research coordinator was Khayla Hamilton, and the support and review team included Neisha Asher, Kimberley Marriott-Blake, Rochelle James, Rik James, Joni-Gaye Cawley, and Francois Hussey.
