Living in Jamaica
by Dylan
QUESTION: ANSWER: January 16, 2010 by Wellesley Gayle Hi Dylan, I'll try, no problem. You'll find that the resorts and attractions use USD, maybe they want to keep it simple and convenient, for the tourists- since most are from the US and perhaps becuase the USD is a universally accepted currency. No doubt they are benefiting from the exchange rate conversion as well, as tourists are usually quoted a lower price than the market exchange rate. And yes, JMD is usually accepted at the resorts and attractions - if I go, I pay the local price. By the way, I always encourage my site visitors to exchange some of their currency at a cambio. Depending on what you'll be doing and where you are going, you'll find that it is quite handy to have both. What is the cost of basic necessities? Well, I can tell you that parity considered, it is usually a little cheaper to by basic items in JA vs the US; A loaf of bread in Jamaica, for example, is about 180JMD now (recently increased), that's about 2USD right? Not sure if you can get a regular family sized loaf for that in the US. A patty here is 70JMD or 0.78USD, much cheaper than the US, but that is still high for us, based on the our measly wages and high unemployment. The minimum wage is currently 3700 per week, still a joke, although it was last increased in 2008 by 17%. Remember though that this is the lowest weekly wage that employers may legally pay employees. I hope that help. Read more visitor related informaion about the country in my Jamaica Travel Guide. Stay in touch. Related Pages: Jamaica's Currency Places to Visit in Jamaica More Jamaican Visitor's Q&A Our Blog Page. AND EVEN MORE...Search Here
|
