The Real Cost of Living: My Jamaican Market Haul (October 2025)
Hey everyone, and welcome back to the blog! As many of you know, the Saturday market run is a deeply ingrained ritual in Jamaican culture. It's where we connect with our community, find the freshest produce, and often, where we get the best prices outside of the big supermarkets. But lately, my market trips have felt less like a joyful ritual and more like a stark reality check. Just yesterday, October 4, 2025, I did my usual market run, basket in hand, ready to stock up. What I found were prices that left me, and many other shoppers, shaking our heads. I'm sharing these real-time figures directly from my experience, because it's important for us to talk about the true cost of living here in Jamaica right now. My Market Basket: The Breakdown of October 4, 2025 Prices Let’s get right to it. Here’s a look at some of the common items I bought (or considered buying!) and their prices per pound (unless otherwise noted): Lettuce: $1200 JMD / lb – Yes, you read that right. On...