Thinking of moving to Ja next year with my gf who is a Jamaican national. We intend to marry and buy a property in the Mo Bay area. I will have an income of approx $102,000 Jamaican Dollars per month. I'm not an extravagant kinda guy, so my question for you guys is will I be able to get by on that amount?

Many thanks in anticipation.

I think that is around 1400 USD and all i can say is that YOU have define what "comfortable is"... there are MANY people in JA who live "comfortably" on far less than that, but you'll need to be more specific about what that means to you.

Where are you currently living?

THe cost of living in JA is about on par with many other cities in this country. Even though it is struggling economically, it is still quite expensive, depending on where you want to live, what kind of home you want to buy, etc...

in that regard, it's no different..

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There are no words in the English language to capture my feelings...

Hi MissB and thanks for your reply.

I'm currently living in the UK and hope to take early retirement in October next year. I suppose my idea of comfortable would be being able to pay our essential bills, i.e. food on the table, gas, elect, phone, broadband internet, have a few beers and a meal out occasionally, maybe run a car and perhaps enough leftover to visit my family back in Blighty perhaps once a year.

I don't envisage paying for rental accommodation as we intend to buy a property outright. We have looked at properties (Power of the www) on the Rhyme Park Village in the parish of St. James which is located just outside Montego Bay. Still early days yet though.

Well then, if you will not be carrying a mortgage, I imagine if you are a conservative in your spending, you should be fine. But there are others on here that have far more knowledge than I do... let's let them weigh in. JamaicaMiss will be a good resource if she sees this. You might try Private Messaging her.. in case she doesn't.

Best of luck to you, though!

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There are no words in the English language to capture my feelings...

If I were you, I would PM Jamaica Miss and ask her this question. I am sure she can give you a few more specifics on roughly how much her monthly bills might be and if you are able to live comfortably on that amounth.

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Life's just a crazy ride on a run away train
You can't go back for what you've missed
So make it count, hold on tight find a way to make it right
You only get one trip
So make it good, make it last 'cause it all flies by so fast
You only get one trip

Yes you can in my opinion. Im from the Uk too. I lived there on £200 ($3000 Ja) a month at worst case scenario.

When I wasnt skint I used to spend average Ja$ per month.

$9000 rent
$4000 gas/electric
$40,000 groceries (for 2 people)

that leaves plenty spare for the other things you wanna do.

Its very possible... the place i used to live in mobay was a lil more expensive then most ($63000 JA/month) and then i spent another maybe $25,000 on groceries per month... my place included gas/electric/cable t.v./internet/swimming pool/tennis courts/small gym... it was in MOBAY as well. the Racquet Club.

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Miss B mentioned "if you are not carrying a mortgage". That is the key to living comfortable in Jamaica. If you will have a mortgage it is probable that you will pay 18 to 22 % interest. A decent 2 bedroom house in Mobay runs around $8 million JA. So without anything down your payment would run around $150,000JA a month.

Utilities:
Electric - $2000JA on up depending on AC.
Water - $750JA on up.

Food - depends on your taste. My guy and I eat Jamaican for the most part so keep it down. We do not buy a lot of meat and when we do, we make one pot soups/stews. However, his friends know he cooks everyday so we are feeding more than us. He loves to share with the less fortunate.

Thanks all so far for your friendly replies and positive indicators. It's kinda a relief to know that we shan't have to watch the penny's too closely and as Jamaica Miss does, have some to share with the less fortunate.

Apart from making the decision to retire early from the daily drudge of working life here in the UK, the decision to also marry and move to Jamaica is massively life-changing for me. It’s gonna be terrifically difficult for me to leave my kids (Both adult now and doing well) grand-daughter, parents and sisters for a new life and wife, in Jamaica. But as the old cliché goes, you only live once, life is but short and you’re a long time dead!

You may be surprised to learn that I am planning to do all of this without ever having stepped foot on Jamaican soil. I know that there is abundant advice which says anyone contemplating a life in Ja should at least spend a little time in the country just to make sure one doesn’t wake up one morning hating the place.
I kinda look on this move as a rebirth, so as a child grows, it learns and adapts to the people, conditions and environment around it. Hopefully, I shall do the same; leaving my Mrs and returning to the UK (Except for visits) is not an option.

So, if any of you guys are able to offer me any advice that may help me along then it would be appreciated. For instance I’m a middle aged white guy gonna be marrying a Ja gyal. Except for one or two isolated incidents, our relationship has never really been a prob here in the UK and hope that continues to be so in Ja. I also hear much negative news re guns and crime in Ja. We have ever increasing violence and gun crime here in the UK but me not being in Jamaica the levels of violence are difficult to gauge.

I think I may also miss the English pub and draught bitter, what’s the Ja equivalent of a pub and will I be able to get Carling Black Label lager or Red Stripe on draught?

Thanks all

Don't worry they have Guinness (in the can) all over the place in Jamaica. Have them pour it in a glass for you and after a few weeks you will not taste much of a difference.

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which city are u plannin on movin to?

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Dont hesitate to pm me as Ive 'been there done that'. there was many things I missed about england and adapting to the jamaican culture was very hard at times. sometimes i loved it, sometimes i hated it. I lived at Sav, the only white person in the neighbourhood with my bf. I enjoyed the different culture but when it became too much I would go the the beach at Negril and mix with fellow foreigners and be me again. It was always great to bump into someone english. I missed the humour more than anything.

Lady Sizzla, when are you returning to Negril?

hmmmmmm.... when did she say she was going?
Nimbus is going - its his thread....

Hi Nimbus u make to Jamaica???